Hyderabad: The Telangana State government’s education policy has raised concerns. Some people are questioning whether the state is going back to ideas from the 170-year-old Woods Dispatch, or perhaps doing something even worse. They are also asking about the legality of starting English medium schools from early grades up to Class XII without clearly informing the public about this policy.
The government’s decision to start English medium schools seems to have come without any scientific evidence or clear reasons. Critics say there was no consultation with experts or academicians before this major change in the education system. Such a significant shift, they argue, could affect not only the current generation but also future students in Telangana. Concerns have been raised about the lack of data or studies showing how these changes will impact children.
Some experts have compared the state’s actions to the way decisions were imposed during the British Raj or in modern China. They feel that these decisions are being made by bureaucrats without proper input from educational experts.
A faculty member from Telugu University, who preferred to remain anonymous, told The Hans India that even the 1854 Woods Dispatch under British rule was more thoughtful. The Woods Dispatch suggested that local languages should be used in primary schools, followed by a combination of local and English languages in higher education. In contrast, the current move towards English medium schools seems to neglect Telugu entirely.
Over the years, especially after the 1990s, the value of studying in Telugu medium has been diminished. As a result, private English medium schools have grown into a massive business, worth thousands of crores. This has led to what some call an “obsession” with English, pushing Telugu to the sidelines in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
A teacher at a government college, who also asked to remain anonymous, criticized the situation, saying sarcastically that the government might start teaching English to babies while they are still in the womb. This shows the extreme preference for English over Telugu in the education system.
While there have been some positive outcomes from the growth of English medium education over the past 30 years, critics argue that the rapid shift has also brought problems. The number of students studying in English medium has grown significantly, but there are still concerns about students who are left behind, especially those who studied in Telugu medium earlier.
