Welcoming the recommendations of a 12-member group of Secretaries on Education that English be taught in all secondary schools from April this year, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of lndia has said the government should not discriminate grant of aid to schools based on the medium of language.
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The 12-member group of secretaries on education has recommended, after consultation with the state governments, that starting April this year, English should be taught in all secondary schools and there should be at least one government-run English medium school in each of the 6,612 blocks in the country.
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Church hails govt body's move on English in schools
Says Govt should not discriminate the grant of aid to schools based on MoI
THE GOAN NETWORK
PANAJI
The CBCI press note issued by Goan Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, Secretary General of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of lndia (CBCI) and Fr Joseph Manipadam, Secretary for CBCI Office of Education, is of significance given the ongoing Medium of Instruction (MoI) issue in the State.
“As reported in the media on January 14, a 12-member group of secretaries on education has recommended, after consultation with the state governments, that starting April this year, English should be taught in all secondary schools and there should be at least one government-run English medium school in each of the 6,612 blocks in the country.”
“This is a step in the right direction as it will promote inclusiveness and extend international quality and competence to the students, who otherwise would lose out in the highly competitive higher education and the job market.”
“Without undermining the relevance of the regional language in primary education, at a time when countries in Europe and East Asia are frantically learning English knowing its global relevance, it would be sad if we denied such an opportunity to our own children,” stated the CBCI press note.
“We are of the view that the government should not discriminate the grant of aid to schools based on the medium of language. While the government should aid all schools irrespective of religion or language, it is the free choice of the parents to choose the school and medium of instruction for their children.”
“As of now much inequality in jobs and future training arises from a situation in which the poor do not have a choice of medium of instruction or do not have the money to pay for English medium schools.”
The CBCI Education Office has also welcomed suggestions of the Secretaries’ Group to reintroduce the detention policy after Class 5 in the secondary school, leaving it to the state governments to decide till which class the all promotion system is to be followed.
“Needless to say, any detention should take place only after the weaker students have been provided all necessary helps including proper counselling and remedial classes,” stated the CBCI.
“The Catholic Church in India, the biggest provider of educational facilities in the country second only to the government, reiterates its resolve to continue in nation building and offers its partnership to the government and other agencies to promote all round, integral, development oriented and sound education to our children and our youth.”
The CBCI has also hoped that the central government “officially withdraws its previous anti-people draft National Educational Policy and makes efforts towards a wider consultation. This consultation has to be done by reaching out to the prime stakeholders ” education providers and education receivers.”
