Date:09/01/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/01/09/stories/2007010913130500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

English in all primary schools from next year

Special Correspondence

Syllabus finalised and textbooks are ready, says Horatti

All school examinations to be completed by March 31

BANGALORE: The State Government with the support extended by the Regional Institute of English is ready to introduce English as a compulsory language of study in the Kannada-medium primary schools.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj Horatti said English as a subject would be introduced in the coming academic year. Of the 23,000 primary school teachers who taught languages, nearly 18,000 had been trained so far in teaching English. Most of them were already teaching English.

The English language syllabus for students of classes I, II, III and IV was ready and so were the textbooks, he said. The primary school teachers had been put through a quick learning session of the English language with relevance to the syllabus.

Mr. Horatti said the English syllabus for students in class I and V and similarly for class II and class VI, for class III and class VII and for class IV and class VIII would be the same. This would reinforce the learning process. For the first four years, the students would not be put through any examination in the English language.

No leave

The Minister said the Government would ensure the completion of all school examinations and that of the second year Pre-University Course before March 31. Teachers of schools had been directed to refrain from applying for leave during the next three months to ensure that their pupils were appropriately tutored.

The department had called upon the other departments of the Government, including the Election Commission, to refrain from seeking the services of teachers for their departmental work, particularly surveys and preparation of electoral rolls.

Meanwhile, the Government has issued appointment orders for 4,768 primary school teachers. An important clause in the order would be the rule that teachers should serve in the interior areas of the State for at least two and a maximum of five years.

With reference to the charges of copying in the examinations held recently for recruitment of 3,000 primary school teachers, Mr Basavaraj Horatti said an inquiry conducted by the Commissioner for Public Instruction had revealed that the charges were baseless.