Cambridge University to train teachers and students of AP schools in English language proficiency

University of Cambridge, renowned research institution in the UK, will provide training to teachers and students belonging to government schools in various municipalities in Andhra Pradesh in order to improve their English language proficiency.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was entered into by the state municipal administration and urban development department with the University of Cambridge in the presence of chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy at the latter’s camp office on Thursday.

The MoU was signed by state commissioner of municipal administration G S R K R Vijay Kumar on behalf of the state government and T K Arunachalam, regional director of University of Cambridge, South Asia.

According to an official statement from the chief minister’s office, as per the agreement, the University representatives would extend training to 12,378 teachers working in municipal schools along with over two lakh students across the state to develop their proficiency in English language.

In all 14 language labs will be set up in 13 districts across the state. Training will also be given in Science and Mathematics, the statement said.

The municipal administration department will provide all necessary infrastructure to the Cambridge university authorities for extending training. The university, however, will provide training completely free of cost under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR scheme.

The teachers will undergo a 30-day training programme to teach various subjects in English and have to pass the Cambridge Assessment English test. “The department has set up three English language labs at Visakhapatnam, Kurnool and Vijayawada for teaching the students. The teaching material will be prepared by the teachers of the municipal schools and will be given to the students at these labs,” the statement said.

The Jagan Mohan Reddy government has already announced introduction of English medium in all the government schools from primary classes. In the first phase, primary schools with classes from 1 to 5 would be converted into English medium, which would be introduced in the higher classes in a phased manner.

The decision, which has drawn a lot of criticism from the opposition parties, was struck down by the state high court last year and the state government subsequently moved the Supreme Court where it is pending. “If the government gets a favourable judgement, the English medium would be introduced at the primary schools from the next academic year,” an official familiar with the development said.