CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy hits out at English critics

Vijayawada: The issue of change of medium of instruction from Telugu to English in Government schools is assuming political colour in the state. While the opposition leaders criticised the government's move, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy defending his decision lashed out at all the leaders, including Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu for criticising the move.

Addressing a meeting on Moulana Abul Kalam Azad's birthday celebrations and an award presentation programme in Vijayawada, the Chief Minister said that from the day the government issued the GO voices of dissent were being heard and suddenly everyone started expressing their concern for Telugu.

Referring to an article penned by Venkaiah Naidu which stressed on the importance of promoting teaching in mother tongue, Jagan said, "I am asking Venkaiah Naidu garu… which medium did your children study in? Which are your grandchildren's medium now?"

He said he would also like to ask leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu as to in which medium his son Nara Lokesh studied and in which medium his grandson would study?

Referring to Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan, the Chief Minister said, here was another leader who has three wives and five or six children, and he would like to know in which medium they were studying.

Jagan questioned what was wrong with the decision of the Government to give English medium education to the poor children. He said infrastructure facilities in the Government schools will be developed and all steps will be taken to impart education in English medium in the Government schools from the next academic year. "We are competing with the rest of the world to get jobs. English is a must to face the competition," he said.

It may be mentioned that the government issued orders last week for converting primary and upper primary classes from I to VIII into English medium. After stiff opposition from different quarters, Jagan announced that the conversion would be up to class VI.

The Chief Minister said the state's illiteracy rate has been 33 per cent against the national rate of 27 per cent and such a situation can be tackled only if focus is more from primary education which is the reason why the decision to introduce English medium from Class I to VI has been taken, he said.

Education is the biggest asset we are going to give to the generation next which will shape them into future citizens, ready to go into the competitive world.