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English for primary kids from 1999: Basu

The West Bengal government has appointed a one-member committee to suggest steps for reintroducing English at the primary level.

The committee, of Pabitra Sarkar, former vice-chancellor of the Rabindra Bharati university, is under a two-month deadline to submit its report.

The Left government had, soon after it came to power in 1977, scrapped English teaching in primary schools.

State Minister for Secondary Education Kanti Biswas said Sarkar would decide which class English teaching should start in schools, suggest modes of teaching as also changes in syllabus. The committee's recommendations would be implemented in the 1999-2000 session.

Following Biswas's announcement, the entire Opposition walked out of the assembly. In fact, there were unruly scenes even when he stood up to make the announcement. Congress leader Subrata Mukherjee snatched away the paper he had in his hand.

"The appointment of the committee will only further delay the reintroduction of English," said Opposition MLAs, who demanded the language be taught in schools from the 1998-1999 session.

Chief Minister Jyoti Basu, however, said this was not possible. "We are a responsible government. Such a decision cannot be implemented in a hurry. Steps will be taken to ensure English is reintroduced smoothly in the 1999-2000 session."

"At present the requisite infrastructure is not there. Books must be selected and teachers appointed," he added.

Basu, who expressed hope that the Sarkar committee report would be accepted by the people, said the the government, the Left front partners and the Opposition would review its proposals.

The Opposition was not pacified with the chief minister's assurances. They alleged he was dragging his foot on the issue. He had promised to go ahead with it quite some time ago, but had not done anything concrete about it, they said.

The chief minister, for his part, denied the allegation. "I have never made any specific statement about which class English should be introduced. However, one thing is certain: English must be introduced at a lower level."

UNI

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