Assam: Akhil Gogoi wants rollback of move to teach maths, science in English

GUWAHATI: Raijor Dal president and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi staged a sit-in here on Wednesday, seeking withdrawal of the state cabinet’s decision to impart science and mathematics education in English in vernacular-medium schools from Class III onwards.
Even as state education minister Ranoj Pegu has clarified that the move is aimed at making students well acquainted with English without hampering learning in their mother tongue, Akhil said such a model of education will have far-reaching detrimental consequences on Assamese society. He sent a memorandum to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, to earmark two days of the upcoming assembly session from September 12, to discuss the education scenario of Assam.
Akhil, along with three other party leaders, sat on the protest near the state secretariat complex in Dispur. “We are not against English education. Our party is in favour of education in English from primary level but not at the cost of mother tongue. We believe that education should be imparted through vernacular mediums but efforts also should be made so that students can speak and write in English,” said Akhil, demanding appointment of English teachers in every government-run school of the state.
He said Raijor Dal is opposed to any move to introduce English medium in the government-sector schools and get CBSE affiliation for some of them.
Even as Sarma has reiterated that their decision was aimed at making students well versed in English, which he said will be helpful in pursuing higher education, leading organisations such as All Assam Students’ Union and Asam Sahitya Sabha continue to oppose it.