Kids begin learning English in Karnataka amid protests by Kannada activists

More than 3.5 million students in an estimated 55,000 Government-run primary schools across Karnataka began learning English at the primary school level yesterday amid growing protests by pro-Kannada outfits.

The academic year began on Friday for the children with their first-ever experience of learning to speak and write English with the Government enforcing its decision to introduce English as language from Standard I.

Hitherto, students of Government run schools had to wait till they reached Standard V to learn English.

Notwithstanding the opposition from pro-Kannada outfits including the State’s leading literary body Kannada Sahitya Parishat, the State Government took a firm stand on introduction of English as a language from Standard I after prolonged deliberations with language experts and various literary and social organizations. The issue was also discussed in the State Legislature and both the houses had approved the proposal.

Secretary to Department of Education, Government of Karnataka, T M Vijaybhaskar told reporters that research had revealed that most of the kids, even before they join school, were familiar with nearly 200 English words that formed part of their daily lingo including words like “bus”, “road” and “car”.

“Using this information, we have designed text books that build on their current vocabulary”, Vijaybhaskar added. A total of 3.5 million text books were being printed. “We have already dispatched the text books for Standard I and III. Text books for Standard II and IV are in various stages of being dispatched. All the students will receive their text books by June 15”, he said.

The text books are “colourful, lively and pictorial” and are aimed at making learning of English an enjoyable process rather than a rudimentary task, he said.

Meanwhile, a host of Kannada litterateurs led by President of Kannada Sahitya Parishat Chandrashekar Patil began a protest demonstration in Bangalore yesterday. Noted poet G S Shivarudrappa and K S Nissar Ahmed were among the protestors, who had gathered in the Kannada Sahitya Parishat premises to oppose the “unscientific” move of the Government to teach English to children studying Government primary schools.

However, several Dalit organizations took out a counter-rally in Bangalore welcoming the Government move to teach English to students of Government primary schools from Standard I. The Dalit organizations even took out a mock funeral procession of Kannada Sahitya Parishat President Chandrashekar Patil to condemn his rigid stance on the issue.