English medium classes soon

Published Date: 18-July-2009

G Saravanan

Chennai, July 17: IN a paradigm shift from the State’s ‘Tamil-only policy’ in elementary education, the 320-year-old Chennai Corporation is all set to start English medium classes in its 25 primary and middle schools spread across its 10 zones from August 1.

A resolution regarding the introduction of English medium classes is expected to be taken up for discussion at the Chennai Corporation’s Council Meeting slated for July 22 at Ripon Building. Here is how the system will work: Student intake for the 25 English medium schools will happen only for Class I.

Students in all the other classes will continue to stay with Tamil medium. Over the years, the entire school would turn into English medium. According to sources, the civic body’s aim to start English medium classes would not dilute its stance on giving due importance to Tamil (for elementary education).

Three schools each from the corporation’s 10 zones have been identified for the new medium of education, but only 25 were found fit for starting English medium classes, a senior official with the Corporation told Express. Since the selected schools have kindergarten classes (LKG and UKG), intake for the first standard English medium (on day one) would not be a big problem, the official said.

According to sources, 2,500 students would be enrolled in these 25 schools in the current academic year. The civic body has sought the help of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for supplying English language- based Activity Based Learning (ABL) cards for the students.

The civic body had recently come under severe criticism for closing down and merging its 30 schools under a restructuring programme. The soon-to-be introduced English medium classes would also come under the State Board like its Tamil medium counterparts.