In Haryana schools, ‘I’m not afraid of English’ drive on

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 15

For children studying in government primary schools, the Haryana School Education Department has launched an ‘’I am not afraid of English’’ initiative which is aimed at introducing English right from Class 1.

“It will enable teachers to help students read, write and speak English. The initiative has already been launched in 180 primary schools and will be introduced in 238 more in the current academic session,” said Rajnarayan Kaushik, Director, Elementary Education.

He said an NCERT booklet with 1,000 sentences/phrases had been prepared. It carried 200 sentences for each grade — from grade I to V.  “A primary teacher and one BRP (Block Resource Person) has been trained to make students learn one sentence every day (minimum 20 per month for 10 months). In this way, students will be able to read and write at least 1,000 sentences till they graduate to the next level,” he explained.

Further, six language labs have been established in selected Model Sanskriti Schools across the state to facilitate digital learning and improve the listening and speaking skills of students. More such labs will be set up later in other schools. The 180 primary schools where the initiative, in partnership with NGO ‘Humana People to People India’, has been launched have been made bag-free for children in Classes I and II, who have been provided lockers. 

Also, the Secondary Education Department has introduced science and maths books in English from Class IX onwards in 310 selected schools, according to Rajiv Rattan, Director, Secondary Education. Describing the move as a good beginning, a parent in Fatehabad said: “I  hope this will improve standards of education in government schools and help children compete with those in private schools.” 

Last year, the Uttarakhand Government too had launched a similar drive, changing the medium of instruction in 18,000 schools from Hindi to English in phases, starting from Class I.