Panel report keeps everyone guessing

CALCUTTA, SEPT 22: The controversy over the issue of reintroduction of English from the primary level in the State school syllabi has sti...

CALCUTTA, SEPT 22: The controversy over the issue of reintroduction of English from the primary level in the State school syllabi has stirred up heat once again with the one-man commission appointed to look into the issue submitting its report to Chief Minister Jyoti Basu on Monday.

What seemed to have stirred up heat this time is that the political and social groups, which have been agitating on the issue, could not be informed about the contents of the report immediately as a case on the issue is pending in the Calcutta High Court.

Apparently, this has given rise to wild speculation about the commission8217;s recommendations as the people and political parties, like Socialist Unity Centre of India SUCI, want to know the primary class from which the panel has recommended reintroduction of English.

Pabitra Sarkar, who headed the commission, told The Indian Express 8220;As far as I am concerned I have done my job with all sincerity.8221; Refusing to divulge the nature of recommendations on grounds that acase on the issue is going on in the High Court, Sarkar said, 8220;Given the agenda, I don8217;t think there8217;s much scope for wild speculation.8221;

However, according to sources, much against the popular belief, the Commission may not have recommended English as an optional subject in the class from which it urged the State Government to reintroduce English.

Sarkar, who refused to divulge further details, said, 8220;Certainly if the Government goes by the recommendations, English would be introduced from primary-level.8221;

Sarkar held discussions with over 900 teachers and 1,200 parents of children of 111 schools and consulted several other experts in the field before preparing the report.

Story continues below this ad

Incidentally, the Left Front Government, which had appointed the commission in April this year, faced some of the major censures for stalling the reintroduction of English from Class one. The movement, which has been spearheaded by the SUCI since 1978, gained a special momentum before the last general election this year forcingthe Front to announce appointment of a Commission.

Meanwhile, still doubtful about the utility of the recommendations by a man Pabitra Sarkar who was openly against the idea of English being taught at the primary levels,8217; many suspect that the State Government8217;s decision to appoint a one-man commission 8220;was aimed at buying time and diverting people8217;s attention.8221;

State Secretariat leader of the SUCI Manik Mukherjee said, 8220;Unless English is recommended from Class one, our movement will continue.8221; Incidentally, the SUCI burnt an effigy of the commission8217;s report as a protest and as a gesture to the State Government that unless it is prepared to consider their two-decade-old demand, 8220;the SUCI will continue its struggle for the cause.8221;