The Cabinet decision to introduce the Kannada Language Learning Bill, 2015 to make Kannada a mandatory subject from class one to class 10 in State board schools may not have a far reaching consequence as most State board schools are already teaching the language as a subject.
Experts and academics have criticised the State government for not having the political will to extend the proposed policy to schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education and the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education.
State board schools which have been opposing Kannada as the medium of instruction in primary classes have, however, welcomed this move and said the rule would help in safeguarding the language.
However, D. Shashi Kumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka, said there was a need for the government to exempt students who come from other States after class six.
“If students shift from other States to Karnataka in primary years, remedial classes can be given and they can be given additional coaching in Kannada but children studying in class six and above may not be in a position to study Kannada and it may burden them,” he said.
However, he criticised the government’s attempt to amend the RTE Act to make Kannada the medium of instruction from class one to class five despite repeated court directions against such a move. He urged the government to grant permission for starting English-medium schools.
The policy should apply to Central board schools as well. Children from other States be given exception. But the govt. should stop trying to impose the mother tongue or Kannada as the medium of instruction.
V.R.N. Reddy,president, Karnataka Unaided Schools Management Association
The govt., which is considering amending the RTE Act to make mother tongue as the medium of instruction should also make provisions to teach all mother tongues and not just Kannada.
V.P. Niranjan Aradhya,Fellow, the Centre for Child and the Law, NLSIU
