BENGALURU: The Lok Bhavan (governor’s office) has written to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, expressing concern over the government’s decision to award only grades, and not marks, for the third language in SSLC examinations.
The letter urged the chief secretary to review the matter in consultation with the department of school education and other authorities.
The governor’s special secretary also forwarded a copy of a representation submitted to Lok Bhavan by the Bengaluru-based Association for Preservation of Local Languages, concerning the recent decision to give only grades for the third language in SSLC.
The letter stated that the representation highlights the significant role played by third languages in fostering linguistic diversity, awareness and intellectual development among students. It pointed out that the proposed system of awarding only grades may inadvertently diminish the academic importance of the subject and affect students’ motivation to engage seriously with it.
The concerns raised also reflect apprehensions among teachers, parents and educationists on the long-term implications of such a decision on the overall quality and inclusiveness of school education in the state, it stated.
The letter stated that the governor took note of the issues raised in the representation and wanted the matter examined comprehensively. “I request you to examine the matter in consultation with the department of school education and other authorities concerned, and take such action as deemed appropriate in the larger interest of students and the state’s educational objectives,’’ the special secretary’s letter stated.