[lg policy] Nagaland: Government seeks to remove Alternative English by 2019

Thu May 11 14:37:54 UTC 2017

Government seeks to remove Alternative English by 2019

By EMN <http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/author/admin/>  /  May 10,
2017  /  Comments Off on Government seeks to remove Alternative English by
2019
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*Dimapur, May 10 (EMN):* The state government had constituted a committee
to examine what it stated as ‘present scenario on implementation of the
three language policy and make recommendations and modalities for
introduction of MILs/local dialects in schools in Nagaland’.
Said committee has come up with certain recommendations which were made
available to the local newspapers on Wednesday. It has noted that ‘90% of
Naga students opt for Alternative English as many schools especially
private schools have not introduced mother tongues even in places where
local languages have been developed and introduced to higher levels of
studies’.“At present, only 4 Naga dialects, i.e Ao, Lotha, Sumi and
Tenyidie are being taught beyond Class-VIII. There is no uniformity and
comparable standards of text books of different Naga dialects. Some
literature committees/boards have developed manuscripts and introduced
their languages in higher classes. But many of them were found to have been
developed without any approved curriculum and syllabus.
“Though Naga languages are in the list of endangered languages, many Naga
children, according to a survey conducted by SCERT, are unable to speak
their mother tongue and communicate with each other in Nagamese or English
even at home. Children can understand better if taught in mother tongues.
But due to less developed nature of the local dialects teaching-learning
cannot be transacted through mother tongues”, the recommendations read.
With the stated view to ‘effectively implement the three language policy
and to preserve, protect and promote the local Naga languages’, the
committee has decided to adopt the following measures:

i) Every child shall be encouraged and given opportunity to learn his or
her mother tongue in the school. All the schools, both Govt. and private
shall introduce the local language of the linguistic area where the school
is located up to the primary or elementary level depending upon the level
of the development of the local language starting from Class-I in schools
where the local language has not yet been introduced from the academic
session of 2018. Every school will introduce at least one local language in
the school. However, depending on the enrolment, schools are at liberty to
introduce more languages other than the language of the local linguistic
area.

ii) All the Naga tribes, including the sub-tribes, are encouraged to
develop text books and introduce their mother tongues up to the elementary
education, i.e. Class-VIII. However, all the existing text books of local
languages being used in different classes shall be reviewed and updated
strictly in conformity with an approved curriculum for Mother Tongue to be
developed by SCERT, Nagaland which is the academic authority of Nagaland up
to elementary education. To ensure and maintain uniformity and comparable
standards, the SCERT with the assistance of different language officers,
shall develop a prototype of textbooks in English which shall then be
translated into local languages. These series of text books will be titled
‘Naga Heritage Studies’ and used up to Class-VIII.

iii) Introduction of a local Language in schools at different levels up to
Class-VIII shall be considered only after the SCERT certifies that
textbooks of that particular language have been developed as per the
approved curriculum for mother tongue. Similarly, a local language shall be
considered for introduction at secondary level only after the textbooks of
that particular language have been developed as per the MIL framework for
secondary level to be certified by the NBSE.

iv) A state Institute of Naga languages shall be set up under the
directorate of School Education by re-deployment of the existing officers,
language officers and staff to:
a) Systematically develop all the Naga languages and sub-dialects in
collaboration with Nagaland University and different language
boards/committees;
b) Regulate and monitor development of text books for local languages in
collaboration with SCERT and NBSE;
c) Ensure uniformity and prescribe standards/syllabus for issue of
certificate and diploma by different literature boards/committees;
d) Take up any activity that may be entrusted to it by the government for
preservation, promotion and development of Naga languages.

v) Language teachers shall be appointed as per the NCTE norms. Till the
proposed state Institute of Naga Languages prescribes the syllabus, the
other literature boards/committees may adopt the curriculum and syllabus of
Ura Academy for conduct of certificate and diploma course of one year
duration each, as a stop gap arrangement.

vi) In government schools where local languages are taught, there will be
no deployment of additional language teachers on account of introduction of
local languages. The existing teachers may be trained and deployed as
language teachers in addition to their normal duties, till trained language
teachers are appointed after rationalization and re-deployment of teachers
in Govt. Schools. Private schools may also adopt similar strategy.

vii) Due to existence of multi languages, different level and less
developed nature of the local languages, English shall continue to be the
medium of instructions in all the schools in the state. However, teachers
are encouraged to explain the difficult concepts and scientific terms in
the mother tongues of the children.

viii) With the introduction of local languages from Class-I from the
academic session of 2018, Alternative English shall be abolished in a
phased manner starting from Class-V from 2018, and Class-VI to VIII from
2019 in all the schools in the state. In urban areas in addition to the
local language, Naga Heritage Studies may be used for non-local students
(students who are from outside the linguistic group of the local area).
ix) Only qualified and trained candidates from nationally recognised
institutions shall be considered for appointment as Hindi teachers after
proper screening and clearing State Hindi Teacher Eligibility Test. The
state shall devise some innovative plan to improve, monitor and check the
proficiency of Hindi teachers and learning outcome of students in Hindi
from time to time. Students shall be encouraged to speak only Hindi during
Hindi class and even in the school and outside in lieu of Nagamese.

“All stake-holders, including principal director, school education,
director, SCERT, chairman, NBSE, SMD, SSA/RMSA, DEOs, DDEOs, SDEOs,
principals, headmasters and heads of schools are hereby directed to
initiate immediate necessary action for implementation of the instructions
contained in the notification from 2018,” it stated,.

http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/government-seeks-to-remove-alternative-english-by-2019/

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