Chennai: Even as the craze for English medium as reached new levels among the parents, the curriculum committee is mulling to make mother tongue as medium of instruction at least till primary level.
In its preamble to the draft syllabus, it was stated that the curriculum of Tamil Nadu spelling out the education policy laid emphasis on the two language formula, the mother tongue, and English while giving importance to learning through mother tongue.
Sources said that the Tamil Nadu Curriculum Framework Committee had several rounds of discussions about making the mother tongue as medium of instruction up to the primary level in all state board schools in the state.
“In our pursuit of English medium education, we have rendered our children incompetent in both the languages. The worldwide researches show that children naturally understand the concepts better when we teach them in their mother tongue. We have to give education only in their mother tongue”, a committee member said. “Due to various restrictions, it was accepted to teach the children in their mother tongue as much as possible”, he added.
While welcoming the government's decision to give importance for learning through mother tongue, P.B. Prince Gajendrababu, general secretary, State Platform for Common School System said, “Learning in mother tongue will encourage the children to develop critical thinking and creative knowledge. So far all the education committees have recommended the medium of instruction to be in mother tongue and the RTE act also states that the medium instruction should be in mother tongue as far as practicable”.
M.Anandakrishnan, chairman, Tamil Nadu Curriculum Framework Committee said, “The committee has not yet finalised the details like about up to which class we have to provide education through mother tongue. It is only the draft syllabus”. When asked about the demands of some sections to revisit two language formula, he said, “There was no discussion held in this regard”.
Syllabus revision to be completed in 2 years, says minister Sengottaiyan
Syllabus revision for all classes will be completed in two years instead of three years as per the original plan, school education minister K.A.Sengottaiyan told reporters here after releasing the draft syllabus on Monday.
“The revised syllabus and textbooks for classes 1,6,9 and 11 will be introduced in 2018-19. For remaining classes it will be changed in 2019-20. We have planned to change the syllabus for classes 1 to 12 over three years. Now, we are thinking about revising the entire syllabus in two years,” he said.
