Andhra govt announces English medium in govt schools from next session, BJP slams move

After the Andhra Pradesh Government issued an order introducing English as a medium of education in government schools in the state from the next academic year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised the move and termed this as an attack on Telugu culture and heritage.

The state government order mentions that classes from 1 to 6 will be converted into English medium from the academic year 2020-21. Other classes will shift to English gradually.

Hitting out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy, BJP leader Lanka Dinakar said: "It is nothing but an attack on Telugu culture and heritage, now Jaganmohan Reddy has become like Modern Lord Macaulay of Andhra Pradesh and he is damaging the ancestral Telugu pride for speeding up the organised conversions."

"There is no proper infrastructure available to implement the decision," he said.

The BJP leader alleged that the ultimate aim and objective of Jaganmohan Reddy government is appearing to destroy the Telugu and Hindu Traditions, Customs and the Culture.

The government's order stated that the Commissioner of School Education shall take appropriate and adequate efforts to implement Telugu and Urdu as compulsory subjects depending on the current medium of instruction in all the schools.

The state government has ordered the Education Commissioner to provide training to existing teachers, and while recruiting teachers, give priority to those conversant in English.