September 15, 2020
Pratima Mondal speaks on the need for three languages at primary level
FULL TRANSCRIPT
The medium of instruction and rules which have kept the class and caste division alive in India, and after decades since the last education policy, the new one keeps the similar tradition going.
Teachers teaching their children till Class 8 in their mother language and suddenly bombarding them with English at a stage when it is difficult to learn a new language is simply depriving them of opportunities in the future.
You propose to instruct the young minds in their local language and questioning their English language capabilities when they seek a government job is utter hypocrisy. The students from such bhasha schools are always at a disadvantage, not only at international but also at a national level.
If every single government exam tests the strength of English, it must be our duty to teach the children the language. Grammatical nuances cannot be learned suddenly, it is a long process. So English must be made compulsory or else remove the section from government exams. You cannot have it both ways.
Due to our Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s sincere efforts since 2017, English along with Bangla and Hindi have been made compulsory which will actually reap fruit, and it must be made a pan India method. English and mother tongue compulsory, and one other language of choice which will ensure true all round development.
Thank You Sir.
