NEP language option turns bothersome

Parents also worry over impact of changes on school fee

The reforms made by the Centre with the New Education Policy, 2020, (NEP) have largely been welcomed across the board. Educationists and the public in general, however, are split on their views.

B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, executive chairman Cyient, and Chairman of the board of governors, IIT Hyderabad, called it a watershed moment for education.

“Largescale, transformational reforms in school and higher education are the need of the hour. The policy presents several forward-looking initiatives,” he said.

There is growing discomfort over the medium of instruction directive in the policy.

Educationist Vasireddy Amarnath, chairman of Slate the School, finds proposing mother tongue/local language/ regional language as the medium of instruction till Grade 5, impractical.

He says, “In Hyderabad, schools have students from various backgrounds and communities and speak different languages. How do we derive the medium of instruction?”

Dr Usha Reddy, Principal, Meridian School, who was part of the team that drafted the policy, said: “Using the mother tongue to help a child comprehend what is being taught is understandable, and teachers even today opt for local language in class. However, the decision to whether or not put it down as a policy should be left to the schools and parents.”

She added that for parents who want their child to be ready for the global market, English will be preferred.

Parents are concerned on how these policies on paper will be implemented and will the reforms feel heavier on their pockets.

On the issue of medium of instruction, Anumod Thomas, father of three children, said, “The concept of using local or regional languages or even the mother tongue is not practical for families who relocate every second year due to work commitments.

English in that case is a binding language.”

The education ministry has maintained that no language will be imposed on any student. The reforms are likely to be implemented from the 2021-22 academic session.

— P. SURENDRA A hospital in Press Colony, Chammapet, was declared a containment zone on Friday, after a Covid-19 patient reportedly died there. Residents alleged that the body of the Covid-19 victim was kept in the open on the hospital premises for hours, posing a health risk.