Guwahati, Feb 9: Garo and seven other tribal languages will be part of the curriculum in Assam schools up to the higher secondary level.
This was decided in a meeting between Assam education minister Ranoj Pegu and a delegation of Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabhas of Assam (ITSSA) representing Garo, Boro, Mising, Rabha, Tiwa, Deuri, Karbi and Dimasa linguistic groups here on Monday.
“There will be an 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. The Assam government will introduce Rabha, Mising, Tiwa and Deuri languages as medium of instruction in LP Schools with a multi-language pedagogy to improve proficiency in Assamese and English language too,” Pegu later informed on Twitter.
The meeting endorsed a strategy document on primary education in mother tongue with multi-language pedagogy.
Representatives of the Garo Students Union (GSU), Assam state zone, and the Garo Sahitya Sabha, meanwhile have thanked the chief minister and education minister for the decision to upgrade the Garo medium schools to Class XII.
“We are very happy with the Assam government’s decision. But we have a challenge now of having adequate, qualified and eligible manpower in the Garo-medium schools. Currently, we have a relatively lesser number of candidates from the Garo community in Assam who have cleared TET. So it is imperative that more candidates come forward and become eligible for recruitment,” GSU (Assam state zone) chief adviser Tharsush Sangma told The Shillong Times on Tuesday.
Sangma informed that currently there are between 15 and 18 Garo-medium high schools and more than 30 Garo-medium ME schools in Garo-inhabited areas under Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam.
“So we have enough vacancies in these schools now. But we hope that they will be filled by next month,” he said.
Sangma said that introduction of Garo as a medium of instruction up to Class XII, a demand which has been reiterated time and again, might take place by next year.
Presently, Garo as a medium of instruction, is available up to Class VIII.
Garo Sahitya Sabha (GSS) president Soroj Jambil Sangma, GSS secretary John Carry D. Sangma and GSS joint secretary Senjister R. Sangma were present during the meeting with the education minister.