The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : English: `study pros and cons'

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Monday, Nov 27, 2006
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

English: `study pros and cons'

Staff Reporter

Seminar on `English in Primary Education' inaugurated

Bangalore: Chandrashekara Patil, president of the Kannada Sahitya Parishat, has urged the Government to form a committee to look into the pros and cons of the introduction of English from class one in government schools.

He was speaking after inaugurating a seminar on "English in primary education" organised by the B.M. Shri Smaraka Prathisthan, Kannada Geleyara Balaga and Kannada Janashakti here on Sunday.

Prof. Patil urged the Government not to take a hasty decision without studying the pros and cons of the introduction of English in primary schools. He said that academics, linguists, child psychologists, and other experts could be made members of the committee.

"Let the experts study the situation and suggest to the Government if English could be introduced from class one in the schools. I will abide by the decision of the committee," he said.

Prof. Patil said that the Government should not decide to introduce English as a result of pressure from any group, be it political or otherwise. "There are several people, who, like me, have opined that the recent decision taken by the Government is not in the right spirit," he said.

The State's Language Policy of 1994 should be implemented in all schools in the State, including private schools. "There should be equality in education in the State and Kannada should be the medium of instruction," he said.

As there was a stay on the case filed by a few schools that were derecognised recently in the High Court of Karnataka, the Government should wait until the three-member Bench announced its decision before taking a decision to introduce English from class one, he added.

Prof. Patil said that the debate on introduction of English began as experts had different opinions with regard to the stage at which the language was to be introduced. He said as English was not a regional language, it should not be introduced at the primary level.

B.T. Lalitha Nayak, former Minister, said that if children were exposed to both English and Kannada or their mother tongue, they would not be able to learn them properly. "Mother tongue or Kannada should get preference at the primary level. The Supreme Court ruling in this regard should be implemented in all schools in the State. That way, there will be equality in education," she said.

H.S. Doreswamy, freedom fighter, said that there should be equality in education and Kannada should be taught at the primary level.

Chi. Srinivasaraju, president of the prathisthan, presided over the discussion.

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