CHANDIGARH (TIP): Despite more than 1.4 lakh students in Class X and XII failing in English this year, the Punjab Education Department is on its way to introduce English as the medium of instruction in at least 400 government schools, which are yet to be picked. The department has moved a proposal for budgetary provisions for the same.
“Back-to-back meetings are being held to implement the proposal. Parents prefer private schools only because these have English as the medium of instruction,” explained
Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary, clarifying the students could opt for English or Punjabi as the medium of instruction. “Separate sections will be carved out for both,” she said.
Pointing out that 77,000 (24 per cent) Class XII students and 70,000 (21 per cent) Class X students had flunked the English exam this year, DS Punia, general secretary, Democratic Teachers’ Front, said: “Only those nations imparting education in their mother tongue are doing well.
Hence, Punjabi must remain the medium of instruction.” Opposing the move, Akali leader Tota Singh, who as Education Minister had made English compulsory from Class I, said: “Our decision to introduce English as a subject at the primary level, while retaining Punjabi as the medium of instruction, was an effort to save the Punjabi language.