AP Govt Formally Introduces English Medium For Classes 1-6
AMARAVATI: The Government of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday issued orders for the introduction of English medium for Classes 1 to 6 in government schools in the state for the academic year 2020-21. These orders were issued after the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) submitted a 58-page report to the AP Government on the introduction of English medium in public schools in the state, emphasized the need for having English medium at the school level
As per sources, the SCERT report, which was recently submitted, included a comprehensive analysis and recommendations about having primary education in English Medium, which enabled the government to take an informed decision on the medium of instruction.
As per the orders, English medium will be implemented in all schools under the purview of the Ministry of Education including Panchayati Raj, Municipal, and Tribal Welfare Departments. Schools that have minority languages, as a medium of instruction will continue to function as usual. Students will be given the option to choose and the English medium classes will run along with them. The English medium government, municipal, mandal and zilla parishad schools will also continue to function as usual. As envisaged earlier the introduction of English medium in Classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 will be implemented gradually year-wise.
Parents of students studying in public government schools from classes 1 to 5 have already been asked by the school education department to chose their option of medium for the next academic year.
It offers three options. With Telugu as a compulsory subject, parents are given the opportunity to choose between English medium, teaching in Telugu medium, and teaching in other mother tongues.
A total of 17,97,168 people have submitted their options out of which 53,943 have sought teaching in Telugu medium.
However, the government has said that having Telugu medium classes in the government schools for these students will not be administratively or economically feasible, However a Telugu medium school will be maintained in every Mandal centre (672 mandals) in the state which was mentioned in the previous GO No. 15.
These students will be provided with transportation. For those staying far away from school the State government will pay for the cost of transportation.
