'Introduce indigenous tribal languages as medium of instruction'

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Literary body of the Mising community, Mising Agom Kebang (MAK) has strongly opposed the Cabinet's decision to teach Science and Mathematics in English instead of Assamese or other vernacular languages. The literary body, which represents the 2nd largest tribal community of the State has demanded the government to revoke the decision.

The State Cabinet on July 28 took several key decisions in the education sector, which included making all schools co-ed, except those girls-only with long history, replacing social studies with history and geography as compulsory subjects. Moreover, the State Cabinet took another crucial decision that from the next academic session in 2023, mathematics and science would be taught in English only from Class 3 in all government and provincialized schools and accordingly all textbooks for these two subjects would be printed in English language only. This decision of the State Government has drawn flak from premier literary bodies, students' organizations and some political parties.

Meanwhile, Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX), the premier literary body of the State, All Assam Students' Union (AASU) Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) and All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), the prominent organizations of the Bodo community have also flayed the government's decision. These organizations opposed the decision by taking resolution in joint meeting.

In this connection, MAK in a press release said, "The vernacular languages of the State will be obsolete if science and mathematics are taught in English from Class 3 to Class 12 and they will be extinct one day. MAK never wants to see the extinction of any vernacular languages of the State including Assamese. So, the government should revoke the decision and build a strong infrastructure to conduct teaching in Assamese medium and other vernacular languages of the State."

The organization further said, "The State Government already declared that some indigenous languages would be introduced as a medium of teaching up to Class 5. Under such circumstances, the new decision taken by State Cabinet will create a critical situation."

The organization demanded Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarmah to withdraw the decision and introduce the indigenous tribal languages as medium of instruction up to Class 5 as per the declaration made by the State Government on February 7 in 2022.

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