Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 3: Overlooking stiff resistance from pro-Kannada organizations, the state government has issued an order, introducing English as medium of education in government schools commencing from next academic year. This order, issued on October 30, 2018, which was issued over two months back, had not been published in websites, government portals etc.

This order was issued in pursuance of announcement made in this regard by chief minister, H D Kumaraswamy, during the budget session of the assembly. As per the order, the department of public instruction has to appoint nodal officers for implementation of this programme in association with the department of state education, research and training (DSERT).

The order has stipulated that in the first phase, English should be introduced in the first standard in 1,000 government schools. For this purpose, Rs 14 crore has been sanctioned in the form of financial assistance. All the model schools which have begun to function from the academic year 2017-18 have to introduce English medium education from next year.

A senior DSERT official said that the government has not yet planned to appoint any new teachers f or this purpose. The department however, has issued instructions, asking teachers who have already undergoing education in English medium schools to provide best possible training to the existing teachers. The teachers would be chosen on the basis of written examinations, the official informed.