Dr Daljit Cheema says move would have an adverse effect on Punjabi medium instruction also

Chandigarh
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today condemned the Congress government’s directionless decision to sabotage school education in Punjab by introducing English medium instruction in 2,750 schools without making any provision for the same.

In a statement here, SAD spokesman and senior vice President Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema said English was being introduced as a medium of instruction without any planning and would offset the entire school system as no teachers had been recruited for this purpose. “Since teachers will be taken out to teach English medium instruction from the present lot, it will also have an adverse effect on Punjabi medium instruction. This means neither English nor Punjabi medium instruction will be taught properly in government schools in the State”, he added.

Dr Cheema said thus this move would thus undermine the prospects of Punjabi language in the very state where it enjoyed the status of official language. It will also deprive our younger generation from enjoying the privilege of learning in Punjabi language, he added.

Criticizing the unnecessary haste being shown by the state government for starting English medium classes in 400 schools in first phase, the SAD asked how this would be possible without hiring competent faculty.

Completely rejecting the education minister’s contention that implementation of English medium in the state-run schools was aimed at bridging their gap with private schools, the SAD leader said even the Punjabi scholars and writers have completely refused to buy this anti-Punjabi language theory. He said it was definitely not the medium of instruction which was the reason why government schools lagged behind their private counterparts. “From basic infrastructure to competent faculty, cohesive learning environment to student friendly education policies, all play a decisive role in successfully promoting the state on the education map”, he added.

Stating that the Congress government had never shown any commitment towards safeguarding the interests of Punjab, be it the inclusion of Punjabi speaking areas into Punjab during the reorganization of states or handing over Chandigarh as the capital to Punjab, Dr. Cheema said history spoke volumes about the conspiracies hatched by the successive Congress governments to work against the interests of Punjab and Punjabi language. “Its latest attempt of introducing English as medium of instruction in schools aims at demolishing the rich heritage of Punjab by pushing the Punjabis away from their culture”, he added.