PSEB to offer science in Punjabi medium

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 21

The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) is going to offer Punjabi and Hindi medium for science subjects in senior secondary classes from the next academic season. The Chairperson, Punjab School Education Board, has stated that textbooks are being translated into Punjabi and Hindi and these would be ready by the next academic session.

Science and math teachers feel most of the students will opt for Punjabi medium in the state. They said the students, who opt for Punjabi medium, would not be able to study science in English medium in higher classes.

Tajinder Kaur Dhaliwal, Chairperson, Punjab School Education Board, said: “It was a long-pending demand of educationalists that the science and math subjects should be offered in regional language in the state. So, Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema asked for translation of books into Punjabi and Hindi”.

“There is some confusion among teachers about these instructions. We are not going to make it compulsory. Students who do not feel comfortable with English can take the help of books translated into Punjab to understand the subject. We will make it clear on the website of the PSEB soon”.

Sukdarshan Singh, a science teacher, said: “There is no policy of the government on medium of studies. Students study science subject in Punjabi till Class X. They have to study in English medium in senior secondary classes. They can’t fully understand the vocabulary of this subject in one or two years. We demanded that the science and math subjects should be in English medium from Class VI. But the government is going to ruin students by giving the choice of medium in senior secondary classes.

Gurbir Singh, another teacher, said: “There is nothing wrong if students take help from a Punjabi book to understand a subject. The books should be available in Punjabi too”.