MEELAL, DESAM urge
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 22 2020: Meetei Erol Eeyek Loinasillol Apunba Lup (MEELAL) and Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) have urged the SCERT, Manipur and State Government to take up initiatives to train teachers in regional language/mother tongue for effective implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 .

Addressing a press meet held today at its Kanglapat office, MEELAL general secretary Huirem Loikhom-ba Meetei reminded that NEP, 2020 was approved by the Union Cabinet on July 29 this year and it (NEP) addresses the importance of engaging students in mother tongue/regional language in which they are more familiar with.

Questioning the progress made so far for effectively implementing the NEP, 2020 in the State, he asserted that teachers are not being trained in regional language/mother tongue at DIET Centres under SCERT, Manipur.

Pointing out that the NEP, 2020's Point Number 4.11 and 4.12 clearly mention about the use of regional language or mother tongue as medium of instruction in classes, Loikhomba argued that MEELAL and DESAM's push for training teachers in mother tongue/regional language at SCERT, DIET centres was not unfounded.

"The medium for instruction until at least 5th Grade and preferably until 8th Grade and beyond will be in mother tongue/regional language," he said stating there is an urgent need for imparting proper training to the teachers to engage students in regional language/mother tongue.

Loikhomba maintained that training teachers in English and some other languages and they, in turn, teaching students in mother tongue/regional language will be something very unsuitable and in contrast to what the new education policy is saying.

"How are the teachers, who are trained in English or some other language going to proficiently and effectively use mother tongue as medium of instruction in classes ?" he asked.

There will be a lot of inconveniences and incompetencies in teaching students if the teachers are not trained to use mother tongue/regional language as a medium of instruction at the State's DIET centres, he added.

Even though officials of SCERT, Manipur and State Government had agreed upon the matter (of training teachers on the use of mother tongue/regional language as medium of instruction) in the past, Loikhomba said there is no tangible action taken so far regarding the matter.

DESAM's president Nameirakpam Edison also asserted that it would be challenging for the teachers who are trained in English and other languages to teach students in their mother tongue/regional language.

Saying that training teachers on the use of mother tongue/regional language as a medium of teaching in classes has become mandatory until at least 5th Grade as per the new education policy, Edison said the State Government and SCERT, Manipur should initially open at least one DIET centre for the purpose.

A memorandum will soon be submitted to the SCERT Commissioner in this regard, he said.

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