Citing the overwhelming response in favour of English medium in government schools from Classes 1 to 6 for the decision taken by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy knowing people’s pulse, Chairman of the Official Language Commission Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad dared those who opposed the GO (on English medium since then struck down by the High Court) whether they would press for a compulsory Telugu medium section in private schools and teaching of it as a subject from Classes 1 to 10.
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In its affidavit in the High Court, the State government had said that it would run a Telugu medium school in each mandal and provide transport to students to reach it thereby giving an option as was being demanded, Dr. Lakshmi Prasad said at a press conference here.
The government struck a blow for Telugu by making it a compulsory subject in all the schools up to Class X in the GO, he said criticising former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena president Pawan Kalyan and others for politicising the issue. At present, several private schools students could take up other languages such as Sanskrit, French and Hindi up to Class Ten without learning Telugu.
Stating that the schools run by several prominent persons and the NTR Trust were in English medium, Mr. Lakshmi Prasad wanted to know whether they would support his demand for compulsory Telugu medium in private schools and its teaching as a subject up to Class 10.
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He clarified that the Official Language Commission came under the Ministry of Language and Culture and would oversee the implementation of Telugu as official language in government offices. The medium of instruction comes under the Ministry of Higher Education.
In the options collected by the government, more than 91% favoured English medium, Dr. Lakshmi Prasad said.
The Chief Minister’s decision to introduce English as medium of instruction followed an overwhelming demand from parents during his padayatra before elections, he pointed out.