Andhra Pradesh govt issues new GO on introduction of English medium in public schools

The government of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday issued an order for the introduction of English medium to class 1 to 6 in public schools in the state. The English medium will be implemented in schools under the purview of the Ministry of Education, Panchayati Raj, Municipal and Tribal Welfare Departments. Minority language medium schools will continue to be a reality. Students will be able to study in Telugu medium along with English medium if they wish. The government, municipal, zonal and zilla parishad schools currently run by the English medium continue to function. Also grades 7, 8, 9 and 10 gradually become English medium schools subsequently.

Parents of students studying in public schools from grades 1 to 5 have been asked by the school education department to give their option over the medium of instruction to be implemented next school year. It offers three options. Being a compulsory subject of Telugu, parents are given the opportunity to choose between teaching in English medium and Telugu medium and teaching in other mother tongues.

A total of 17,97,168 people have opted in and 53,943 have sought teaching in Telugu medium. However, the government has said that a Telugu medium school will be maintained in every zonal center (672 zones) as per the previous GO 15, the provision of Telugu medium classes in the respective schools for these students is not administratively and economically feasible. These students are provided with transportation, which would be paid by government.

The report by the State Council of Education and Research and Training (SCERT) on the medium of education has been requested by 96.17 per cent of parents who have opted for English medium. The Board of Education and Training (SCERT) submitted a 59-page report to the government on Monday. The report analysed a number of factors and highlighted the importance of English medium at school level. It is recommended that the English medium should be taught from one class to the other with comprehensive proficiency in other subjects, with particular emphasis on ensuring that students are fluent in the mother tongue. The Government has approved the recommendations of the SCERT.