Schools caught in 3-language policy limbo, say experts

Time of India

6 hours ago

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MUMBAI: Even as state govt has once again put the three-language policy on hold as it conducts "wide-ranging consultations", experts said issues like shortage of teachers and pressure of formal education on children at a young age also need to be considered.
They added that schools have been caught in limbo because of the policy paralysis from Mantralaya.
Last week, state had rolled back its decision to make Hindi mandatory in primary school and allowed schools or parents to choose an alternative Indian language and said there will be a teacher for the opted language if at least 20 students in a class go for it.
Madhav Suryavanshi of Shikshan Vikas Manch said though state may release a govt resolution mandating the teaching of three languages, it has "no capacity to implement it".
"Textbooks haven't been printed in substantial numbers yet, and by the time they are distributed and reach students, how long will it be? Also, where will the teachers come from? In my own school, there are four teachers in place of six sanctioned posts.
Even if we are able to find the teachers, they need to be trained."
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On the instability emanating from Mantralaya, he said, "Govt is not able to hold a stance in any one direction."
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Another contentious point in the policy was the teaching of three languages from Class 1. Shruti Panse, a linguist working with schoolchildren, said, "Until the pre-primary level, all education is informal. All studies say that only by the age of six should formal education start." School education process starts with listening, then basic communication, and then reading and writing. "Putting together in a singular year all these stages of education is a bad idea, as it puts pressure on children," she added.
On govt's stand that it is easier for children to grasp languages at a younger age, she said, "I agree that it is easier, but it has to be informal. Children are already learning a foreign language with English formally, and adding another subject of formal education is too much for a child." Panse also noted that physical education and art classes have been reduced to make space for a third language. "Out-of-class activities have their own benefits and are a key part of a child's mental growth.
Such a move will only reduce the joy a child has for education and school."
Schools have been caught in a limbo because of a lack of clear govt communication. The vice-principal of a Marathi-medium school said, "We haven't made any changes to the curriculum or introduced a third language as we expect the policy to change. We are consulting with our trustees on further action."