Buddha: Plainspeak

Cooch Behar, Nov. 21: In a rebuff to the All Bengal Teachers? Association (ABTA), chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today made it clear that he was firm on his decision to teach English from the primary level.

Taking on the CPM teachers? wing on the concluding day of the three-day ABTA state conference, Bhattacharjee tore apart the association?s resolution, which says that a movement would be launched to demand the abolition of English from primary classes.

Speaking at an open rally in the airfield here this afternoon, the chief minister said: ?English will stay at the primary level of instruction. The introduction of English cannot and will not be withdrawn. It is unfortunate that there exists a faulty logic about the teaching of English among the teaching community of this state.?

Bhattacharjee said it was unfortunate that teachers, especially those in government-aided schools, believe that just learning Bengali at the primary level will do students a world of good.

?This is not true at all. During my visit to China, I saw English being taught along with the mother tongue. All developed countries in today?s world follow this procedure purely for the reason that for higher education, in the pursuit of science or to run top-level international business or trade, the language used is English,? Bhattacharjee said.

?Therefore, if our children do not know the language during their formative years, they will perform poorly later and there is proof of it in how our state fares in competitive examinations now. There can be nothing better than to learn Bengali and English simultaneously,? the chief minister said.

Bhattacharjee pointed out to the assembled ABTA leadership and the delegates that Bengal, despite doing reasonably well in spreading education, was not reaching the targets set.

?We still have to bring about a million children in the state into the fold of education and in order to do that, we are not only providing schooling and books for free, we are also serving them cooked food,? he said.

?The rest is up to the teachers. They must ensure there are no dropouts Our government has been paying you a decent salary and we look at you with respect. Teach well and with diligence at the primary level as this alone can provide the basis for a sound education system,? the chief minister said.