Hyderabad: What happens when many Telugu medium schools are suddenly changed to English medium? Government officials and education leaders say there’s no harm to Telugu language studies. They argue that Telugu remains the official language in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and learning Telugu is required until Class X.
However, recent reports tell a different story. The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) from the past few years has shown that many students are struggling with Telugu.
For example, ASER found that boys and girls aged 14 to 18 in parts of Andhra Pradesh could not read even a Class II Telugu textbook.
Recently, the District Collector of Khammam posted on social media about a new program called “We Can Learn.” This initiative aims to improve English learning in upper primary schools. But ASER reports say only 42.2% of students in Khammam, in the same age group as those in Andhra Pradesh, could read a Class II Telugu textbook. There is a growing concern that Telugu is being neglected in favor of English.
In an interview with The Hans India, a professor from Andhra University’s Department of Telugu explained that switching children from their natural language (Telugu) to an acquired language (English) could have long-term effects. The professor pointed out that understanding the full impact requires looking into various linguistic aspects, such as how languages are structured and how people think in different languages.
The professor also mentioned that learning a natural language like Telugu helps children develop important skills, such as metalinguistic awareness. This skill is crucial for reading and understanding different languages.
The study of language, known as the metaphysics of language, looks at the deeper meanings behind words and sentences. This involves multiple fields such as sociology, linguistics, and psychology. For children growing up in Telugu-speaking environments, this language awareness is key to their learning and growth.
The article also references Ludwig Wittgenstein’s theory of language, which says that how we use language depends on the social rules and activities of a community.
For example, during colonial times, Indian students were forced to use the word “Ganges” instead of their native word “Ganga” for the river. But for the River Thames, they were expected to use the English name, even in their own languages. This shows how English has been prioritized over native languages like Telugu in education.
Although some things have improved since colonial times, the focus on English at the cost of native languages continues to show problems in the education system. Many feel that Telugu is being neglected, and this could harm the language in the long run.
Experts believe there is a need for careful planning in language education. However, the Andhra Pradesh government made the decision to switch to English medium without consulting experts in Telugu or linguistics.
