Banning Telugu medium in schools suicidal: CPM

Eluru: In an innovative protest against the banning of Telugu medium in schools from next academic year, the leaders and activists of CPM submitted representations to statue of Telugu Thalli at YMHA here on Sunday. The protesters demanded that the government withdraw the decision to save the mother tongue and also the education system in the State.

Addressing the gathering, CPM city secretary P Kishore said the action of government in unilaterally deciding to ban Telugu medium in schools was a heinous act. While taking such decisions, the State government should have taken into consideration the views of people and intellectuals.

It would have been better had the government introduced English medium from the next academic year onwards, year-wise. By banning Telugu medium in all classes, dropouts at the primary level would increase. Children belonging to rural and slum background would not be able to carry on with sudden change in the medium.

The dropout rate would increase and there would be no meaning for the government scheme 'Amma Vodi' which promises education to all children. No other states in the country ignored their mother tongue in such manner. Even in world countries like Japan and China, English would be taught only after giving priority to local language, he added.