The Assam government said on Monday that only the language of the books will change, not the medium of the institutions, in response to criticism over its decision to make English the primary language of instruction for Science and Mathematics in vernacular schools beginning in Class 3. Education Minister Ranoj Pegu responded to a Zero Hour discussion in the Assembly by Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha by stating that the administration has no plans to convert vernacular-medium institutions into English-medium ones. Don’t misunderstand; even the National Education Policy emphasised that the language of the books does not define the medium of a school. We are merely altering the language of mathematics and science textbooks starting in Class 3.
According to Pegu, the mother tongue in government-run institutions will always be the way a teacher and student converse with one another. This form of communication is “really the medium” of a school. He also disclosed to the House that the government has decided only to hire teachers fluent in the language of the school where they would be employed. In order to facilitate effective classroom discussion, Pegu explained, “this means that in an Assamese medium school, only those teachers who are fluent in Assamese will be selected, and in a Bodo medium school, only those teachers who are fluent in Bodo will be appointed.”
Besides, he said, the NEP stresses the need for a multilingual mode of teaching and suggests that students should be experts in Mathematics and Science in the English language.
The Assam Cabinet determined on July 28 that starting in Class 3 in all government and provincialized Assamese and other vernacular medium schools, Mathematics and Science will be taught in English. Additionally, it approved the adoption of a dual language curriculum in state-run Assamese and vernacular schools for Classes 6 through 12. All of the opposition political parties, significant student organisations, notably the ABVP, leading literary organisations, and several social groups protested the Cabinet’s choices, particularly the decision to use English as the language of instruction.
The Assembly was briefly postponed earlier in the day amid tumultuous scenes as Speaker Biswajit Daimary rejected three motions for adjournment made by opposition members, including two notices calling for a discussion on the subject of the language used to teach the two topics. The third motion made by AIUDF sought to debate the numerous eviction drives that were conducted around the state as well as the welfare of the displaced families. The adjournment motion is an extraordinary procedure that, if granted, results in the suspension of the House’s regular business in order to debate a specific issue of urgent public significance.
Congress MLAs and Independent lawmaker Akhil Gogoi walked to the Well of the House and raised placards to demand action as the Speaker rejected the motions. Daimary called a 10-minute adjournment of the House as confusion reigned. The administration is prepared to examine the question of teaching in the mother tongue in the House if it is brought up in another forum, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said when it reconvene. Later, both the Congress and Gogoi dropped their applications for adjournment. The party’s notice should be considered as it relates to “human rights violations,” according to AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam. AIUDF members staged a walkout in response to Daimary’s request to bring up the subject in another way.
