HT education summit: Learning English as crucial as regional languages for success, says CM Baghel

He stressed that his government has published and distributed study materials in 16 regional languages and four languages from neighbouring states for primary education.

New Delhi: The importance of regional language cannot be ignored in primary education, but learning English is equally crucial for success, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday said at the Hindustan Times Education Summit 2022.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel (PTI)

He stressed that his government has published and distributed study materials in 16 regional languages and four languages from neighbouring states for primary education.

“The demand all over the world is for the English language. If we go to courts, medical and engineering colleges, we need English for that… We have the challenge to provide education students at primary level in primary lever on one hand, and prepare them in English to face the world on the other,” he said.

Baghel further said people spend a large part of their incomes on English-medium private schools for their children. Therefore, the Chhattisgarh government has started running Swami Atmanand English Medium Schools and over 250 of them have been established so far, enrolling over 100,000 students. He further said that the state government has decided to open 10 English medium government colleges next year.

“These schools have students coming from all backgrounds, including Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe. Education is provided free of cost and all kinds of infrastructure facilities have been provided along with better teachers,” he said.

Baghel also shared challenges faced to restart education in Bastar and other disturbed areas in the state, and said that over 260 schools have now been reopened, and teachers recruited, in these areas.

He also brought up the politicisation of education, saying there should not be any favouritism in including freedom fighters in the school syllabus, and ideology must not influence who should be included. He added that history must not be distorted with personal agendas.

“Your definition of nationalism is different from mine, and one cannot distribute the certificate of nationalism and one’s personal agenda must not interfere with education,” Baghel said.