Delhi govt launches 50 centres to teach English

In the first phase of the programme, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said, around 100,000 students will be trained to “become fluent in the English language”

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced his government’s plan to initiate a spoken English course for people in the 16-35 age group at 50 centres across the city.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal during a press conference on Saturday. (ANI)

In the first phase of the programme, the Aam Aadmi Party leader said, around 100,000 students will be trained to “become fluent in the English language”.

“We often see that the children from poor, lower middle-class, and middle-class families are not proficient in English. They are left behind in life and face challenges in securing a job since they are unable to speak properly in English,” Kejriwal said at a press conference.

“The Delhi government will initiate the spoken English course to help children become fluent in the English language,” he announced.

People with a basic knowledge of the language will be able to enrol for the “three to four-month-long course, for about 120-140 hours in total”, he said. “Students who have completed Class 8 and are in the age group of 18-35 years can take part in the programme. This course will help them in developing their personality and getting jobs.”

In a statement issued later in the day, the AAP government clarified that those aged between 16 and 35 years can enrol for the course.

The Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University, inaugurated by the state government in December 2021, will coordinate the course, the chief minister said.

“We will train around 100,000 children at 50 centres in the first phase of the programme. The number of centres will be scaled up gradually,” said Kejriwal, adding that it will be an “international standard programme” as the Delhi government has tied up with publishing housesMacmillan and Wordsworth for the course, and it will be assessed by Cambridge University.

People will also be given the option of weekend and evening classes, he said.

Kejriwal said that there will be no course fee but initially, people will have to deposit ₹950 as security money. “The security money will be refunded after the successful completion of the course with full attendance,” he said.