Date:17/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/17/stories/2007051707860400.htm

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Karnataka - Bangalore

All set for teaching English in State schools

Special Correspondent

Government to challenge single judge order on penalty issue

Teachers given training to teach English

`No going back on decision to decognise schools'

Basavaraj Horatti

BANGALORE: The Government has made all arrangements, including printing of textbooks, to implement its decision on teaching English as a subject from first standard in all its schools and aided institutions where the medium of instruction is Kannada, from June 1.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj Horatti told presspersons on Wednesday that teachers in government primary and aided schools had been given training to teach English. The department had also printed English textbooks and charts and had put in place all other facilities to teach English, he said.

The Minister made it clear that there was no question of going back on the decision to derecognise 2,215 schools from June 1 for violating the medium of instruction policy.

These schools had obtained permission to run Kannada-medium schools, but were imparting education in the English medium. About 700 schools had applied to the Education Department for renewal of recognition, promising that they would follow the guidelines on the medium of instruction. These schools had to impart education in Kannada medium from first standard if they wanted the recognition to be renewed, he said.

The Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPIs) would monitor teaching of Kannada by these schools. The department had sought details of 413 officials who did not act against schools, which blatantly violated the policy. Action would be initiated against them, he said.

The Government would file an appeal before the Karnataka High Court, challenging a single judge order, staying its decision to impose penalty on private schools that violated the language policy.

Mr. Horatti said Advocate-General Uday Holla had been directed to file the appeal to vacate the stay.

On Tuesday, the High Court extended the stay on the Government's April 12 order, which had imposed a fine ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 1 lakh on 2,215 erring schools.

He rapped the advocates who represented the Government for their "failure" to properly present the State's case.

The Government had issued no-objection certificates to 56 ICSE and CBSE schools this year and 126 applications were pending for clearance. These schools had to teach Kannada as a subject from first standard to fourth standard, he said.