Remember Mohanlal singing ‘a e i o u' in the film ‘Aye Auto' to impress his lady love by learning English?
Taking a cue from it, auto drivers in the city are all set to learn English, not to impress their lovers, but to help passengers get to their destinations.
The District Centre for English, Kozhikode, in collaboration with the Government School Teachers Union, Kozhikode city women's wing, is conducting a basic functional English course for auto drivers. The course was inaugurated on April 21 by M K Raghavan, MP.
Kozhikode being one of the prime tourist locations in the state, students from IIM, IIT and Kozhikode Medical College, who hail from other states, usually prefer travelling by autorickshaws. On such occasions, both the passengers and the auto drivers end up communicating in sign language.
To make it easier for the auto drivers to understand and communicate in English, English coaching has become imperative for them.
To bridge this communication gap between autorickshaw drivers, tourists and students from other states residing in Kozhikode, the auto drivers will be given this month-long free English coaching class.
Nearly 40 auto drivers with licence have registered for this course.
Nandakumar T I, an auto driver who was keen to join the class, says, “It will be easier for us when a foreigner hires our auto. Some of them express doubts regarding how to reach some place or some important tourist location. Most of the time when they ask us questions, we are helpless and just reply in yes and nos. At least we will be able to understand what they say.”
Ten tutors have been appointed for the coaching class. V P Satheesan is the chief tutor, along with Beena Philip, Principal, GVHSS, Nadakkavu, N K Balan, tutor, District Centre for English, and Sister Sujaya, principal, St Michael's HSS.