BENGALURU: Despite opposition from Kannada activists against commencing English medium classes at select government schools in the state, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy is firm about the announcement made by him in the state budget.
After the CM made the announcement, several Kannada activists had met him and expressed their objection to the move.Talking about it at a programme organised to mark Teacher’s Day at Vidhana Souda on Wednesday, the CM clarified that there was no question of withdrawing the proposal.
“I have already discussed about its implementation with the Primary and Secondary Education Department officials and they are at it,” the CM said. Also, the process to recruit qualified teachers for this purpose is on.Kumaraswamy said the student enrolment rate at government schools has come down by 10 lakh in the last few years and the aim is to bring all those students back to government schools by improving the quality of education and bring them on par with private schools.
‘Even chidren of activists study in private English medium school’
The Chief Minister even took Kannada activists to task by asking them to introspect where their children and grandchildren are studying.“Even the children of those activists who have come to me asking not to implement this scheme should introspect where their children and grandchildren are studying. I am 100% sure that they are all studying in private English medium schools. When this is the reality, why they have to oppose it. Let our government school kids also study in English medium and compete with private school kids,” said Kumaraswamy.
‘Even I feel hesitant to talk in English’
Teachers working with government schools across the state will undergo spoken English coaching classes from the current academic year itself. Announcing this during the state-level teacher’s day celebrations organised in Bengaluru on Wednesday, HD Kumaraswamy said, "Even today I feel hesitant to speak in English, just because of grammar mistakes and fluency issues. I want all our government school teachers to come out of such insecurities and to be confident and competent."
Awardees wait for more than two hours
Teachers who have received state awards had to wait for two and a half hours to get the honours on Wednesday as the Chief Minister arrived late. More than 75 teachers were invited to receive the awards by the Chief Minister on Wednesday at an event organized at the banquet hall in Vidhana Soudha. While the programme was scheduled to begin at 9.30am, it was delayed by two and a half hours as Chief Minister HD Kumarswamy reached the venue only around 1.30pm. However, the CM apologised for the delay.