GUWAHATI:
The Assam government will introduce the Garo language, along with seven other tribal languages – Bodo, Rabha, Mising, Karbi, Dimasa, Deori and Tiwa, in schools up to Class 12, on February 7.
The decision was reached following a meeting between Ranoj Pegu, the state education minister, and a 26-member delegation of Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabha of Assam (ITSSA), at Janata Bhawan, Guwahati, on Monday.
Soon after the meet, Pegu took to a micro-blogging website and wrote, “Assam government will introduce Rabha, Mising, Tiwa and Deuri languages as the medium of instruction in Lower Primary (LP) schools. In addition, we will adopt a multi-language pedagogy to improve proficiency in Assamese and English… (sic),” Pegu tweeted.
He further wrote, “There will be option to learn any tribal language in classes VI to VIII as an optional subject and from Class IX to XII as an elective subject (sic).”
John Carry D Sangma, general secretary of the Garo Sahitya Sabha (GSS) said, “Assam government has agreed to upgrade Garo medium up to Class 12.” Emphasising that Garo, as the medium of instruction is available up to Class 8, Sangma stated, “Only Garos living in Goalpara and Kamrup have this opportunity to learn in the mother-tongue, and this should be made available for the Garos living in other districts as well.”
Present in the meeting were Gubind Taid, president of ITSSA, Kamala Kanta Mushahary, secretary-general of ITTSA and Saraj Sangma, president of the GSS, to name a few.
