Telugu in Punjab government schools won't serve any purpose: Teachers

Muktsar, July 13

The decision to teach Telugu to students of classes VI to XII in government schools in the state and hold competitions under the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” programme has not gone down well with the teachers.

The District Education Officer (DEO) has issued a letter giving a schedule to teachers to hold writing competitions in Telugu, teach commonly used words in the language and hold school and cluster-level contests.

The teachers have also been directed to give students information about the daily life of people, sports and dresses worn in Andhra Pradesh, which is the paired state of Punjab under the ‘Bhasha Seekho Programme’, and hold competitions on these topics. Teachers have been asked to give training of the traditional dance forms of the state to students and hold competitions. After cluster-level competitions, block and district-level competitions will be held on August 22 and 29, respectively, the letter says.

On this, a senior teacher, having experience of nearly 25 years, said: “What is the fun of teaching Telugu in schools here. Students should be given special training of local or regional languages rather than forcing them to read Telugu. This is an impractical decision. Further, when we ourselves don’t know this language, how can we teach it to students?”

Some members of the Democratic Teachers Front said: “This exercise is purely a waste of time. Teachers are now gathering the required information from the Internet.”

However, Malkit Singh, DEO, Muktsar, said: “A letter has been issued by the Director-cum-Secretary of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Punjab, asking all DCs regarding activities to be taken up by the state government for the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Independence. The letter has clearly mentioned ‘Bhasha Seekho Programme — Learning 100 sentences of the paired state (AP)’. I have done nothing wrong by circulating orders further to the school heads.”

Impractical decision

What is the fun of teaching Telugu in schools here. Students should be given special training of local or regional languages rather than forcing them to read Telugu. This is an impractical decision. — A senior teacher