“It is imperative to introduce English as a medium of teaching in schools to help students keep pace with the global standards,” said Education Minister A. Suresh on Thursday.
“It is important to enhance skills in children but familiarising them with various subjects in English medium is as important. Lest, they may be left behind in this knowledge society,” he said in a statement.
‘Telugu mandatory’
While laying stress on teaching in English, Telugu will remain a priority and mandatory, he clarified. Pointing to the fact that teachers had a pivotal role to play in the switch to English medium, the Minister said 98,000 teachers (from classes I to VIII) in the State would be given training in phases from January to May 2020 by English language experts from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and Regional Institute of English, Bengaluru.
Changes in syllabi
“As part of reforms in the education sector, syllabi of classes I to V is being modified to equip students with the requisite knowledge to gain an edge over others in this competitive era,” the minister said.
To usher in radical changes, the government has asked the School Education Department to convert all government, Mandal Praja Parishad, and Zilla Parishad schools into English medium from classes I to VIII from the academic year 2020-21 and for classes IX and X, from the academic year 2021-22.
According to a GO released a couple of days ago, English medium with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) syllabus will be introduced in a parallel section from class VI in 6,500 High Schools identified in the government sector in the State as part of strengthening of the schools under the ‘Success Project”.
