Some views on Education and timing of Introducing English in Schools

August 10, 2004

"Mohan Guptaa4India\"" Some views on Education and timing

of Introducing English in SchoolsMon, 9 Aug 2004 02:38:30 -0400

Recently Rajasthan education minister, Ghanshyam Tiwari introduced English from

grade 1 in Rajasthan schools. Lots of people showed interest in this topic and

many people have strong views on the subject. Some views are given below.

<krishan.kb (AT) verizon (DOT) net>;When should school children start learning English? -

This is a national issue that needs public debate I am not sure

if the Minister for Education in Rajasthan Ghanshyam Tiwari has RSS approval on

this issue - of introducing English in the first grade rather than sixth grade.

He could have done it on his own for electoral benefit. He is going around the

villagers, instead of academics, educators and nationalists with a systemic

(holistic) approach. Mr. Vajpayee went on his own without care for majority

community interests, and so Mr. Tiwari may be doing, without even realizing

that it may not be in the best interests of the children.

I am not aware if RSS or BJP have an open (or any) policy on this issue or

on education in general - like the Swadeshi Jagran Manch on economic issues.

May be this discussion, will draw their attention. BJP/ RSS seem unprepared on

many national issues - that was evident from the BJP performance, when in

power. Now that they are relieved of the burden of governance, they can

seriously look at these problems.

Off hand, my own opinion for this case in Rajasthan, I think that young kids

learn Hindi for at last two years, then may be learn Sanskrit as additional

language during next two years - script being the same it may not be too much

of a burden. Then from 5th grade leave Sanskrit out (or make it optional) and

start with English, in addition to Hindi. I recollect that Himachal Pradesh

wanted to start English from first grade, but do not know if it was

implemented. If English could be taught from the first grade as an additional

language, the case for Sanskrit from third grade should not look absurd.

Being a topic of national importance, I suggest that a small group of people,

may be just two or three focus on this important topic, investigate this

further and contact leaders in RSS and VHP and the Rajasthan state Govt. with

reasoned and logical views and pursue it till it gets resolved. Some one may

also have to contact concerned persons, academicians and politicians in India

to know the situation on this issue to come up with an alternative plan for

implementation. An open letter to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan may be

helpful (copies to RSS, VHP, BJP). These open letters, once made public are

likely to get more attention. This could be a useful NRI contribution.

I am myself busy with Hindu temples issue - freeing them from Govt. control

and to be managed by autonomous bodies, as in the case of Muslim and Christian

religious institutions. We are focused on this and have been working on this

issue since July 2003. The issue is now getting attention by VHP, and many

Hindu activists. We hope to succeed some day, in the not too distant future.

We have sent some open letters to Chief Ministers and Sonia Gandhi on the temple

issue - since she is President of Congress, which controls Governments in some

states that have nationalized temples. A similar approach is suggested.

Krishan Bhatnagar, Maryland, (301) 572-7339

=======

Dorothy K. Gordon

The issue is very clear in educational terms. People learn better in their own

languages and this affects their grasp of concepts through theeducational

system. If the object is to give individuals mastery of a foreign language it

is not necessary to introduce it from Grade 1. The new language can be

introduced in the third or fourth year after children have mastered basic

innumeracy and literacy skills in their primary language. The important thing

is to be clear on the methodology for teaching the new language and to have the

support materials and qualified teachers in place. Introducing English at Grade

1 means that every teacher that teaches at that level should have adequate

English skills to respond to that challenge. It is not clear to me that this is

currently the case in Rajasthan.It may be more difficult for the children going

through this experiment to speak

good English than those who have English introduced later intheir educational

careers but by good teachers.There is much more that can be said on the

cultural and ideological issues but let me stick here to the critical issue of

learning.Dorothy K. GordonDirector-General, AITI-KACEPMB State House,

AccraPhone: 679542-44Fax 679549www.aiti-kace.com.gh

Dorothy Gordon" <director-general (AT) aiti-kace (DOT) com.gh>

=======

"Satish Jha" <satish.jha >

I believe this subject is worth debating.When there was murmurs about Sanskrit

being supported by the BJP led governments, we had issues with that. When Murli

Manohar Joshi wanted our culture as the foundation of all education, we

ridiculed him. When Tamilnadu wanted Hindi to be removed because there were

some zealots trying to impose it, we had a nationwide agitation and derailed

the nationalization of Hindi in any real sense by years, passing the buck on to

what has become Bollywood. And we continue to see things with the eyes of

ideology rather than universal progress.However, from what little I have been

able to observe regarding languages, it appears that languages love to be in

bed with prosperity. How many of us really speak our mother tongue or the

national language at home in case we have had an opportunity to become officers

(as in IAS etc), managers (as in any reasonably sized organization),

international academic, successful lawyers, doctors, architects, CAs or any

other professional career in a metropolitan environment?What is seen to divide

India- the part that is fast being termed as "India Shining" and the

"Bharat-waiting!”? Why is it that the Bimarustates of India are also the ones

that are the least equipped with any spread of English- as in Bihar, UP,

Uttaranchal, MP, Rajasthan,and Haryana etc? What impact does the

universalisation of a global language have on the culture and aspirations of

the people? I believe Rajasthan education minister may have just triggered

something that may expand the horizons of the students of Rajasthan and better

prepare them to understand the world as they grow up. They may even become

better informed citizens- if not better citizens per se, they may become better

decision makers even if they do not make all decisions right, they may become

better equipped to

articulate their viewpoints in an increasingly globalising world even if they

may not win the world.Do we still see colonization where globalization is a

dominant force? Do we discern and differentiate between what was and what is

becoming the dominant force in changing our lives on the planet. A language

that better prepares us is what we need to learn. What keeps us blindfolded or

blocks our vision in any which way, what keeps us cocooned, from appreciating

other cultures etc will only hinderprogress.==========Hindus are intoxicated in

Slavery and Blind to facts

When I mail any article then usually I get lot of response. Sometimes people

raise some silly questions, which does not make any sense and show their

complete mental bankruptcy and extremely poor intelligence. In my article Ill

affects of retaining and propagating English in Bharat, some body asked me a

question that if Sanskrit is such a great language then how come it is not a

world language. The simple answer is that colonizers want to destroy the

culture, language, and civilization of the conquered people. Muslims destroyed

many libraries and temples of learning. British destroyed Bharatiya education

system. When Sanskrit teaching was stopped and Sanskrit institutions were

closed down, then many people fought and agitated for the survival of Sanskrit

language. Realizing the

importance of Sanskrit, even some English people also supported in saving

Sanskrit language. Due to help of some English people, continuation of teaching

of Sanskrit was saved to a small extent in Kolkotta. Like struggle for

independence of Bharat, there has been struggle for saving the teaching of

Sanskrit in Bharat. Books are available which describe the struggle for saving

Sanskrit from destruction by British people. These books have been mentioned by

Truth magazine. These facts might not be well known to public to a great extent.

Sanskrit is such a great language that western scholars after studying the major

languages of the world proved that Sanskrit is the only language, which is most

perfect language from, compute point of view.

It is just the colonizers tendency to prove that even their

garbage is better than the gold of conquered people. Even the Christians accept

now days that Christian religion has got many flaws, even they convert non –

Christian people to Christians saying that it is the only true and most perfect

religion.

Another person said that I did not mention the name of Munshi

Prem Chand and many other famous Hindi writers in my article. This person did

not realize that I was not writing article about Hindi authors. I was just

trying to make a point that even obscure English authors of western world are

well known in Bharat than Hindi authors.

Hindus have slavery not only in their blood and bones but this

slavery has converted them into animals. Many Bharatiya are no more than

equivalent of dogs of English people. The sad fact is Bharatiya mental slave

people have started enjoying their slavery and their animal type behavior.

They have no desire to become free from mental slavery and become human beings

again. These people forward thousand arguments in support of their slavery. If

some body mentions their slavery, then they curse the people who tell them that

they are mentally slave people and they should become free from slavery.

Till people realize they are mentally slave, till then they would stay in animal

state and would keep cursing persons who tell them to become free again.

========

bhattathiri · November 25, 2007

The Holy Gita is the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads. It is a universal scripture applicable to people of all temperaments and for all times. It is a book with sublime thoughts and practical instructions on Yoga, Devotion, Vedanta and Action. It is profound in thought and sublime in heights of vision. It brings peace and solace to souls that are afflicted by the three fires of mortal existence, namely, afflictions caused by one's own body (disease etc), those caused by beings around one ( e.g. wild animals, snakes etc.), and those caused by the gods (natural disasters, earth-quakes, floods etc).