GUWAHATI:
The Garo Students Union – Assam State Zone (GSU-ASZ) have raised the issue of the implementation of Garo as a Modern Indian Language (MIL) and the second language at the degree level in colleges under Guwahati University (GU), Assam.
A delegation of Garo leaders, including GSU chief advisor T K Sangma, GSU-Kamrup district zone president Macktradle Sangma, and John C Sangma, general secretary of Garo Sahitya Sabha (GSS) had met Himanta Biswa Sarma at the Assam Administrative Staff College (AASC) on January 28 and submitted a memorandum on the same.
“The Garos could not study Garo as MIL and second language in the degree level course in the colleges of Assam. For reasons, our language is no longer included in the curriculum and syllabi of Guwahati University. We, therefore, request your honour (Assam CM) to direct the authorities of the university to reintroduce Garo in the colleges of Assam,” the memorandum read.
GU assistant registrar, N Sarma, in a communique (Vide GU letter No. Pub/Syll/69/1075 dated 1.2.69) with Garo Graduate Union, Tura informed that Garo as a MIL subject had been introduced in the Three Years Degree Course in Arts by the Guwahati University from 1969 to 70 academic session.
Notably, 53 years have passed since that introduction but it remains to be implemented in the state to date.
Looking back at the history of education in Assam, it was the initiative of British commissioner David Scott that led to a school for Garo boys in Singimari (1826) with Valentine William Hurley as its first teacher. Unfortunately, it did not survive for long. Major Jenkins would then establish another government school in Goalpara in 1847.
Referring to the history, the GSU-ASZ memorandum read, “The creation of the new state gives an impression of no Garo-medium schools in Assam. As a result, certain politicians, legislators and government officers fail to understand the background, reality and present status of Garo medium schools in the state. At present, there are Garo lower primary (LP) and ME (or upper primary) schools only in Goalpara and Kamrup (rural) districts of Assam.”
The GSS, GSU and other Garo NGOs have demanded the extension of Garo-medium LP and ME schools for Garo people living in other districts of Assam.
“An excellent step has been initiated by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) by appointing few casual Garo language teachers during 2018-2019. With this noble initiative, the Garos living under BTR have been learning their own language and literature,” the memorandum further added.