Government seeks to remove Alternative English by 2019

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,.