Taking objection to Tamil Nadu Government’s recent decision to introduce English as the medium of instruction in state-run schools, DMK chief M Karunanidhi said on May 13 that education through a non-native language would obstruct students’ self-learning.
“Education through native language alone would nurture self-learning in children. Education through non-native language would obstruct self-learning,” he said, in a letter to his party men.
Observing that Mahatma Gandhi and DMK founder Anna’s advocacy for education through native language, he said, English was not even a spoken language in many countries in the world.
“Private schools and government-run schools were equal, in terms of syllabus, after introducing Samacheer Kalvi (Uniform System of School Education). Therefore, efforts should be made to improve the standards of government-run schools to bring them on par with private schools.”
The 89-year old leader also listed down the steps the previous DMK regimes had taken towards improving the standards of government schools and to widen the scope for Tamil language in the state education system.
School Education Minister Vaigaichelvan had last week informed the assembly about introduction of English medium in 640 government schools in 2012-13 academic year and expressed confidence that implementation of such schemes in rural areas will attract more students to government schools.
Posted in States
