At least 5,000 government-run primary schools got the ‘English medium’ tag on April 2 with the launch of School Chalo Abhiyan in UP, but there is hardly any change at the ground level.
A reality check of a primary school in Naubasta Kala in Chinhat block of Lucknow revealed that students are yet to receive their new textbooks in English. They were found reading lessons from old books in Hindi.
“This is for the first time that English medium government schools have started functioning. Printing of new textbooks is on and it will be made available to students by next month. Till such time, they are using Hindi books of previous sessions,” said an official in the basic education department. The official did not want to be named.
An order dated March 27, issued by director basic education, Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh said: “In view of delay in printing of new books, the old textbooks shall be distributed free among students till such time the new books get printed. Once the new books arrive, they will replace the old ones.”
At Naubasta Kala primary school, teachers were found teaching English alphabets to students with the help of chart papers and sketch pens. Another teacher in the same school used blackboard to make students familiar with English alphabets.
{{/usCountry}}At Naubasta Kala primary school, teachers were found teaching English alphabets to students with the help of chart papers and sketch pens. Another teacher in the same school used blackboard to make students familiar with English alphabets.
{{/usCountry}}Teachers at some other primary schools said the delay was affecting studies and distracting students. “The new academic session comes with a lot of craze for students. They look forward to getting new books. Since the session has started and new books are yet to be distributed, students are managing with old books of their seniors,” a teacher said.
“The old books are in a bad shape. Moreover, not every student has received books. They are yet to get a feel of new session,” said another teacher at a government primary school in Nirala Nagar.
Following in the footsteps of CBSE and ICSE boards, the education department had, in 2015, adopted the practice of starting new academic session from April.
Before this, the new session used to begin in July. Last year too, the students were not given textbooks for several months and received it only when the school reopened after the vacation in July.