Language confusion: Urdu or English?

​Vijayawada: Confusion prevailed among the Urdu medium schools being run by Vijayawada Municipal Corporation on changing Urdu medium schools into English medium from this academic year.

Telugu medium schools run by Vijayawada Municipal Corporation are preparing to change into English medium from this academic year.

The state government is insisting that all Telugu medium schools run by municipal corporations and municipalities should change into English from this academic year 2017-18.

But, the government is not insisting Urdu medium schools to change into English. The decision of changing into English medium schools depends on the school head masters concerned.

Though the government is not insisting on changing Urdu medium to English medium, majority of the parents are insisting that Urdu medium schools in Vijayawada should be changed to English medium.

Parents are extremely fond of English medium and desire that their children, too, study in English medium schools. In all, 19 Urdu medium schools are run by VMC. Some schools started more than 70 years ago in the Old City.

Nearly 2,000 children are studying in these Urdu medium schools. Three Urdu medium schools achieve more ' 90 per cent success in the SSC public examinations. Teachers are in dilemma on changing the Urdu medium schools into English medium.

If the Urdu medium schools do not change into English medium, most of the children may join other English medium schools run by VMC.

Municipal schools are located in every nook and corner of the city. There is a possibility of Muslim children quitting the Urdu medium school and joining the English medium schools because both schools are free and no need of payment of fee. If the parents opt for English medium schools rather than Urdu, most Urdu schools will disappear in future.

In this backdrop, the teachers are planning to teach Urdu language as part of the course annual curriculum. Science, Maths and Social will be taught in English medium.

It will take three to four years to change the mindset of children as well as to make them understand the subject in English.Md Umar Ali, head master of SMA Khddus Urdu Medium School at Bhavanipuram, said the teachers were in dilemma on changing the Urdu medium schools into English medium. He said most parents prefer that their children should study in English medium.

“When all Telugu medium schools are changed to English medium schools, we have to change into English medium on par with Telugu medium schools,” he added. Most teachers with experience of two decades in Urdu medium have to hone their English language skills to teach the students in English.

It will take at least a few months to get habituated to teach in English. The government has decided to distribute the text books free of cost in both Telugu and English medium to the Telugu medium students.

The same rule will be applicable to Urdu medium too. But, the Urdu medium schools have to inform the education department that they are willing to change the Urdu medium school to English medium so that the education department can supply text books in English and Urdu medium too.