Ludhiana: Telugu camp concludes amid mixed reaction from teachers
Aimed at promoting cultural exchange between Punjab and Andhra Pradesh
The week-long Telugu language classes held across Punjab government schools under the Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp wrapped up on Thursday, but not without raising eyebrows among educators and experts. While the initiative, driven by the Union ministry of education, aimed to promote cultural exchange between Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, many teachers believe the focus should have been on strengthening Punjabi skills, especially for migrant students who continue to lag.
According to Punjab School Education Board results for 2024-25, over 1,500 students from Class 10 and 386 from Class 8 across the state, did not qualify Punjabi exam, despite it being their primary language. The concern, teachers say, isn't about resisting multilingualism, but prioritising basics before diversifying.
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, questioned the timing and relevance of teaching Telugu. 'Migrant children struggle with Punjabi. They live and work here, why not focus on their proficiency in the state's language first? Instead of a central gimmick, we needed classes that strengthen academic foundations,' he said.
Still, not everyone echoed this sentiment. Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, called the programme 'refreshing and insightful'. She said, 'Teachers learnt Telugu via video modules and brought those lessons alive in classrooms. Students not only learnt greetings and songs, but even prepared Andhra cuisine, it truly brought cultural learning to life.'
The students also seemed enthusiastic. 'We made Telugu charts, sang songs and interacted in a new language, it was fun and different,' said a Class 8 student. Another student shared how the experience transported them into the heart of Andhra Pradesh in just seven days.
Responding to concerns about Punjabi proficiency, Ahuja added that the government's Mission Samrath initiative is already addressing this gap, helping underperforming students, particularly migrants, strengthen their language skills.
District education officer (secondary) Dimple Madan did not respond despite several attempts.
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