Karnataka: Stress on neighbourhood education system

[Harold F. Schiffman]

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http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?
ID=IEK20060202000444&Page=K&Title=Southern+News+-+Karnataka&Topic=0

Newindpress.com

Stress on neighbourhood education system
Thursday February 2 2006 10:26 IST

DHARWAD: According classical language status to any language is not the job of
the government, it should be determined by linguists and scholars, opined Dr U
R Ananthmurthy, Gnanapeeth awardee.

Addressing a news conference here on Wednesday, Ananthmurthy said though the
status of classical language received a whopping amount of money to undertake
novel programmes in the name of language, merely the status could not bring
significant changes into the lives of people who speak the classical language.

Ananthmurthy said the only way to resist bad implications of globalisation was
the de-centralisation of culture.

Lately, globalisation was not only dominating indigenous culture, but was also
displacing the latter. The prevailing scenario would certainly bring in
hopeless consequences for the nation in the days to come, he added.

While replying a question on recent political developments in the state, he
said the hope of a ‘secular’ third front assuming power in the nation, was
lost by the decision of JD (S) joining hands with BJP to share power in the
state.

To keep Kannada abreast of the changing requirements of globalisation, he
underscored the need for implementing ‘Neighbourhood education system’ and
opening ‘common schools’, at least one for each district in the state.

Common schools were the best way to tackle the influence of globalisation on
Kannada where children from all strata of society, together learnt subjects
taught in Kannada medium, apart from English as a language, he added.

While talking about measures needed to be undertaken for development of
Kannada, he said first, the government should create an atmosphere that
ensures job opportunities for students who study in Kannada medium.

The state should give enough thrust on translation activities and the
Translation Academy must be provided with adequate financial support since it
translated works that encouraged readers of other languages to learn Kannada,
he added.

He said ensuring a job either in information technology or bio-technology
sector should not be the ultimate goal for education, which ought to focus on
developing interest in the basic sciences among the young, as it would result
in overall prosperity of the nation.