Local language should be official medium of instruction: CM

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday emphasised that the medium of instruction should be in regional languages to ensure their development in their respective states.
Speaking at a Kannada Rajyotsava and Children’s Mela 2016 event, organised by the Department of Public Instruction at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the state government has been taking all the necessary measures to protect and develop Kannada language in the state. “The state government had announced the medium of instruction policy in 1994. We received a setback when unaided private schools approached the court on this issue. Then in May 2014, the Supreme Court had ordered the government to leave the choice to the parents to select medium of instruction at schools. The Supreme Court opined that state government should not make Kannada compulsory at schools. State filed a revision petition but in vain. We could not question it since the Supreme Court order is final,” he lamented.

He confided that he had not only written letters to the prime minister but also had met him personally to explain the danger to regional languages in the wake of the Supreme Court’s judgment. “The need of the hour is that prime minister should convene a meeting of all chief ministers to discuss the Supreme Court’s judgment on medium of instruction. I want the prime minister to take measures to amend the Constitution after consulting all the chief ministers on this issue,’’ he added.

Siddaramaiah said that all the linguists and educationists had opined that regional language should become the medium of instruction at educational institutions. “It is also the opinion of all Kannadigas. The prime minister should act fast on the issue. It will help the development of local languages,’’ he opined.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Tanveer Sait said 25 lakh books were made available at various libraries in the state to improve the reading habits among people. “We have made arrangements for the readers to have access to 25,000 books through internet,’’ he disclosed.

“The education department is trying to improve the SSLC pass percentage this academic year as against 75 per cent in the last academic year. The department has made arrangements for special training of teachers to achieve this target,’’ Sait said.