Parents' meeting to be convened in schools on Jan 21 in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: The State education department has decided to collect option forms from the parents of the children studying in the government and aided schools to secure views of the parents regarding the medium in which they want their children to study.

The orders to collect option forms were issued in the backdrop of stiff opposition being faced by the government from the Opposition parties, some MLCs, academicians that elementary education should be continued in Telugu medium only in the State.

On the other hand, the State government is determined to change Telugu medium elementary schools into English medium from the next academic year.

In this backdrop, instructions were issued to the Regional Directors of School education, District Educational offices, and Additional Project Co-ordinators of the Samagra Siksha in the State to ask the HMs of the schools to convene parents' meeting in the schools on January 21 to obtain option from the parents (mother/father/guardian) on the medium in which they wish that their children should study. The School Education Department released a GO in this regard on Saturday.

Parents have diverse opinions on English medium education. Many parents prefer English medium education for their children in government schools with either Telugu or Urdu as one compulsory subject. Most Muslims opt for English medium education with Urdu as one of the languages. The State government is also insisting that Telugu will be made compulsory subject in the curriculum.

But, academicians, some MLCs, opposition parties are insisting that primary education should be in Telugu medium only. But, the State government has firmly decided to change all primary, ZP and Mandal Parishad schools from Telugu medium to English medium from next academic year for classes one to six.

As per the instructions, the HMs of the respective schools have to conduct parents meeting on January 21 and collect option forms that will be filled by parents and handed over to mandal education officers, who will later hand them over to DEOs. Finally, the option forms will reach the office of the Commissioner of School education by January 23.