SEP: Two-language policy will be applicable in 90% of schools; three-language teaching in linguistic minority schools

The Hindu

a day ago

The two-language policy proposed by the State Education Policy (SEP) Commission in its final report submitted to the Karnataka government recently will be applicable to all government, aided and private Kannada and English medium schools in the State. However, teaching of three languages will continue in Urdu, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and other linguistic minority schools.
In linguistic minority schools, the learning of a 'third language' is optional. Unlike in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) model, the third language is not considered for assessment.
'There is no confusion in the implementation of the two-language policy in the State. Kannada and English are taught as the first and second languages in all Kannada and English medium schools. However, in linguistic minority schools, three languages are taught along with Kannada and English, including the mother tongue of the students. The third language is optional and is not considered for the examination,' Sukhadeo Thorat, chairman, SEP Commission told The Hindu.
Implementation process
The SEP Commission has abandoned the three-language formula that includes Hindi in the State's education system.
Accordingly, English is taught as the first language and Kannada as the second language in English medium schools with English as the medium of instruction. In Kannada medium schools, Kannada is the first language and English is the second language with Kannada is the medium of instruction.
However, there are six linguistic minority schools in the State, including Urdu, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Hindi, and Malayalam. Steps have been taken to make Kannada compulsory as the first or second language in these schools, and the medium of instruction will be the respective mother tongue.
If students choose their mother tongue as the first language, Kannada will be the second language in those schools. English will be taught optionally as the third language.
If students need English, they should take Kannada as the first language and English as the second language. Or, if English is taken as the first language, Kannada will be the second language. In this case, students are allowed to learn their mother tongue as the third language.
V.P. Niranjanaradhya, one of the members of the SEP Task Force (School Education), said, 'About 90% of the schools in the State are Kannada and English medium schools, where implementing the two-language policy is not difficult. However, in the remaining 10% linguistic minority schools, it was decided to teach three languages after serious discussions for about 15 days to ensure that children are not deprived of learning their mother tongue.'
Not to be neglected
'Since the third language is optional and is not considered for assessment, the government cannot neglect it. Instead, teachers of the respective language should be appointed and priority should be given to effective learning by providing books and other materials. If Tulu, Konkani, Kodava and other regional language students want to learn in their mother tongue, that is also allowed,' he added.
Further, he explained that the SEP report has emphasised on the mother tongue as the medium of instruction.
'In 2014, there was no NEP, and the rules for the RTE Act-2009 were not framed. Therefore, the government lost in court on the issue of mother tongue medium of instruction. The court had ruled that the medium of instruction was the choice of the parents. However, now the NEP and RTE have clearly indicated that primary education should be in the mother tongue. In addition, recently the CBSE has also issued a circular regarding providing education in the mother tongue up to the foundation level. Therefore, there will be no setback for learning Kannada in schools in the State,' stated Mr. Niranjanaradhya.