RANCHI: Tribal students in Jharkhand are going to get classroom lessons in their own language. As per the education department’s plan, children studying in primary sections up to class 3 at 250 government schools in six tribal-dominated districts of Jharkhand will be taught in their own tribal language. According to officials, those schools, where more than 70 per cent students speak a particular tribal language, will provide lessons in that language.
To make the process convenient, a dictionary of difficult words has been prepared for each of these tribal or regional languages. Children will be taught in their mother tongue till class 3, following which, they will start studying in Hindi and English languages. As of now, stress is being given to Mundari, Khadia, Kudukh, Santhali, Nagpuri Panchpargania, Kurmali and Khortha languages.
“Seventy per cent weightage will be given to the mother tongue and thirty per cent to Hindi in class 1, while in class 2, fifty per cent weightage will be given each to the tribal and Hindi languages,” said State Programme Officer (Quality Education) at Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC), Abhinav Kumar. Whereas in class 3, 30 per cent weightage will be given to tribal language, and rest to Hindi, he added.
Kumar told that a report has also been sought from the district headquarters by JEPC to identify what tribal language is spoken in which region and the percentage of such students in the schools located that particular region.
The official further said that teaching in ‘Olchiki’ language in the schools of Santhal Pargana has already been started for which separate text books have been published. “Teachers having better understanding of tribal or regional languages and those who can speak it properly would also be considered for teaching the children till formal appointment of tribal language teachers are done,” Kumar said.
NEP guideline on mother tongue adopted
According to National Education Policy 2020, if children up to class 3 are taught in their own mother tongue, they will not only develop better understanding but will also increase their attendance in schools. Keeping this in mind, Jharkhand education department has decided to ensure that it is implemented properly in government schools in the state.