Switch to English medium a bit too much for students

Sumeer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 17

A sudden switch from Punjabi to English medium syllabus this year was not an easy one for 14-year-old Pooja, a student of Class IX at Government Senior Secondary School, Paras Ram nagar, Bathinda.

Studying in Punjabi medium, Pooja secured 86 per cent marks in the PSEB (Punjab School Education Board) exams in Class VIII, but she has been facing difficulty in understanding and memorising simple concepts of science in English language now.

Her desk-mate Bhumika could explain definitions of a few basic concepts of science in loosely-structured English though.

The school at Paras Ram Nagar is the lone English medium government school in the city.

After the Education Department introduced English medium for a few subjects in government schools from this session, a majority of parents were quite excited about the prospect that their children would be studying in English medium at government school, they observed that their children were finding it difficult to adapt to the change. So they again got their students shifted to Punjabi medium.

However, a majority of students have still stuck to English medium and gradually picking-up things. The state government’s decision to introduce English medium in government schools has got a mixed response.

A small percentage of students have opted out of English medium while those who chose to continue are facing some difficulty in understanding concepts.

The Education Department has introduced English medium in government school from this year by including 50 per cent of students (on merit) from every class.

Mandeep Kaur, principal at Government Senior Secondary School, Paras Ram Nagar, said, “It will be too early to say that students are not performing up to the mark as the session has began in April. Students are finding it a bit difficult to understand concepts in English medium now, but they have been learning English for a long time and it would barely affect their overall performance.”

“Teachers are putting in concerted efforts to ensure that students comprehend the concepts easily. A majority of students studying in our school come from slum areas. To some extent, it acts as a hindrance but they are hard working and excited to study in English medium. There were a few parents who requested us to let their children continue in Punjabi medium, so we did,” Kaur added.

A school teacher, requesting anonymity, said for the success of English medium at government schools, the department needed to adopt some leniency while evaluation.