Comments on: English Language Schools In Karnataka http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/ Issues & insights Tue, 7 Oct 2008 12:13:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: g prasad http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-264491 g prasad Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:46:08 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-264491 english is necessary for all english is necessary for all

]]> By: Anon http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-264005 Anon Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:26:14 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-264005 The real problem posed not only to Kannada but to all regional languages in India is not from English but rather from Hindi ! Hindi-speakers expect everyone else in India to speak their language and make no effort whatsoever to learn regional languages. At this rate all regional languages are in danger. The real problem posed not only to Kannada but to all regional languages in India is not from English but rather from Hindi ! Hindi-speakers expect everyone else in India to speak their language and make no effort whatsoever to learn regional languages. At this rate all regional languages are in danger.

]]> By: Brian Barker http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-263222 Brian Barker Sun, 23 Dec 2007 10:19:31 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-263222 I write from London, the alleged centre of the English-speaking world and I whole-heartedly support Kevin's contention that English is part of the problem. As a building manager in the centre of London, my biggest problem is the inability of polish building workers to speak English. Yet people are being duped into beleiving that English is already the "global language". What arrogant nonsence! Next year the United Nations has named 2008 the "International Year of Languages" Let's use the year to seriously consider Esperanto's potential. I write from London, the alleged centre of the English-speaking world and I whole-heartedly support Kevin’s contention that English is part of the problem. As a building manager in the centre of London, my biggest problem is the inability of polish building workers to speak English. Yet people are being duped into beleiving that English is already the “global language”. What arrogant nonsence!

Next year the United Nations has named 2008 the “International Year of Languages” Let’s use the year to seriously consider Esperanto’s potential.

]]> By: Kevin Kordo http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-263190 Kevin Kordo Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:10:46 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-263190 I'm a semi-retired native English speaker from the US teaching English in Thailand. My original occupation was as a factory manager. For the first time in my life I got a chance to examine the English language in excruciating detail. I also had a chance to learn the Thai language well enough to read a computer book. It greatly surprised me to discover that I could understand computer books written in Thai language much more easily than with my native English! I also did some research on the artificial language called Esperanto which can be learned with some degree of proficiency in about 6 weeks. I'm tired of watching my students struggle with English. Wake up world!! English is part of the problem and Esperanto (which meams "our hope") is our only rational hope out of this linguistic dilemma. Why should 95% of the world be compelled to learn a difficult language like English when all of us (that means POOR people too!)can communicate in a easy language like Esperanto? I’m a semi-retired native English speaker from the US teaching English in Thailand. My original occupation was as a factory manager. For the first time in my life I got a chance to examine the English language in excruciating detail. I also had a chance to learn the Thai language well enough to read a computer book. It greatly surprised me to discover that I could understand computer books written in Thai language much more easily than with my native English! I also did some research on the artificial language called Esperanto which can be learned with some degree of proficiency in about 6 weeks. I’m tired of watching my students struggle with English. Wake up world!! English is part of the problem and Esperanto (which meams “our hope”) is our only rational hope out of this linguistic dilemma. Why should 95% of the world be compelled to learn a difficult language like English when all of us (that means POOR people too!)can communicate in a easy language like Esperanto?

]]> By: Hemana http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-111290 Hemana Sat, 24 Feb 2007 19:20:42 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-111290 Like every Indian should learn Hindi, every person who wants to live in Karnataka should learn Kannada. This is required to retain the Kannada language and Kannada peoples culture in Karanataka. Otherwise situation which is happening to Kannadiga kids in Cosmo Bangalore English Medium schools who do not give an opportunity to learn Kannada for a Kannada mother toungue kid will happen. People other Indian states who want earn and live in Karnataka should understand and learn to promote the survival of Kannada language rather than killing it. Like every Indian should learn Hindi, every person who wants to live in Karnataka should learn Kannada. This is required to retain the Kannada language and Kannada peoples culture in Karanataka. Otherwise situation which is happening to Kannadiga kids in Cosmo Bangalore English Medium schools who do not give an opportunity to learn Kannada for a Kannada mother toungue kid will happen. People other Indian states who want earn and live in Karnataka should understand and learn to promote the survival of Kannada language rather than killing it.

]]> By: Pavan http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-45490 Pavan Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:26:56 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-45490 Tragedy of the situation in Karnataka is that even kannadigas are, in a way, forced to send there students to schools which do not teach kannada at all. Most good schools (to name a few DPS, NPS etc..) adhere to CBSE standards and shear number of non-kannadiga student force them not offer kannada at all!! Just imagine a class with 50 student and 40 out them are non-kannadigas. This results in a situation where even kannadigas are not learning Kannada. This is actually happening on the ground; my own nephew who is 6 years old talks in kannada, reads in English and is learning Hindi! (Hindi at the age of 6 huh). Yet he cannot read Kannada at all. I found out that in his school Kannada will be taught to student who are in class 5 or above (as if it were some foreign language). I am giving the above example just to show how , today, there is a systematic degradation of kannada in own town ( try talking in kannada in any of the famous malls or shopping streets ) The real concern behind all the hulah-bulah is not that Non-kannadigas are not making an effort to learn kannada but that our own children will not learn kannada. We will create a situation where in there is no demand for kannada. In Karnataka, kannadigas are supposed to learn Hindi and English so that people who come from 'outside' have much easier time 'adjusting' to the city; thats like rubbing salt on the wound. Today there are so many people from outside that they live in a bubble of their own, often being insensitive to the locals[By locals, I mean kannadigas in general]. I know I sound like a "language terrorist" but the fact is no kannadiga will accept anything less than a first class status to kannada (and to himself eventually). [ I am a normal IT guy and a Bangalorean (and bit of a leftist !!) ] Tragedy of the situation in Karnataka is that even kannadigas are, in a way, forced to send there students to schools which do not teach kannada at all.
Most good schools (to name a few DPS, NPS etc..) adhere to CBSE standards and shear number of non-kannadiga student force them not offer kannada at all!! Just imagine a class with 50 student and 40 out them are non-kannadigas. This results in a situation where even kannadigas are not learning Kannada. This is actually happening on the ground; my own nephew who is 6 years old talks in kannada, reads in English and is learning Hindi! (Hindi at the age of 6 huh). Yet he cannot read Kannada at all. I found out that in his school Kannada will be taught to student who are in class 5 or above (as if it were some foreign language). I am giving the above example just to show how , today, there is a systematic degradation of kannada in own town ( try talking in kannada in any of the famous malls or shopping streets )

The real concern behind all the hulah-bulah is not that Non-kannadigas are not making an effort to learn kannada but that our own children will not learn kannada. We will create a situation where in there is no demand for kannada. In Karnataka, kannadigas are supposed to learn Hindi and English so that people who come from ‘outside’ have much easier time ‘adjusting’ to the city; thats like rubbing salt on the wound. Today there are so many people from outside that they live in a bubble of their own, often being insensitive to the locals[By locals, I mean kannadigas in general].

I know I sound like a “language terrorist” but the fact is no kannadiga will accept anything less than a first class status to kannada (and to himself eventually).

[ I am a normal IT guy and a Bangalorean (and bit of a leftist !!) ]

]]> By: Naavi http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-31919 Naavi Sat, 28 Oct 2006 10:22:50 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-31919 The original report is not a correct reflection of the facts. A notice was issued by Karnataka Goverment to a set of schools which had taken license as Kannada medium schools and were running as english medium schools and had refused to oblige reminders. This was wrongly reported by some media as a notice to english medium schools to compulsorily teach kannada. Now time has been given to these schools until the end of the academic year to make amends. More recently, Karnataka Government has introduced English as a subject from Standard I in all schools. Media of course did not make any effort to support the Government on this issue. Despite the opposition from some section of the public, the Government has stood firm on this decision. The original report is not a correct reflection of the facts.

A notice was issued by Karnataka Goverment to a set of schools which had taken license as Kannada medium schools and were running as english medium schools and had refused to oblige reminders.

This was wrongly reported by some media as a notice to english medium schools to compulsorily teach kannada. Now time has been given to these schools until the end of the academic year to make amends.

More recently, Karnataka Government has introduced English as a subject from Standard I in all schools. Media of course did not make any effort to support the Government on this issue. Despite the opposition from some section of the public, the Government has stood firm on this decision.

]]> By: Unknown Indian http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-19470 Unknown Indian Sat, 07 Oct 2006 11:47:58 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-19470 Glad to see a post on this issue in a major blog. The Karnataka government obviously has no right to decide what language children should study in - that is a decision for their parents to make. And in a country like India, where fluency in English is a prerequisite to success in virtually any career, forcing kids out of English medium schools is ridiculous. The Karnataka government must focus on hgiher priority issues than thrusting Kannada down the throat of citizens - such as getting rural kids into school, and ensuring that teachers in government schools attend work. For its complete lack of a sense of priorities, I have given the Karnataka government an award for the <a href="http://unknownindianrantings.blogspot.com/2006/09/looniest-government-in-india-part-2.html" rel="nofollow"> Looniest Government in India </a> Glad to see a post on this issue in a major blog. The Karnataka government obviously has no right to decide what language children should study in - that is a decision for their parents to make. And in a country like India, where fluency in English is a prerequisite to success in virtually any career, forcing kids out of English medium schools is ridiculous. The Karnataka government must focus on hgiher priority issues than thrusting Kannada down the throat of citizens - such as getting rural kids into school, and ensuring that teachers in government schools attend work. For its complete lack of a sense of priorities, I have given the Karnataka government an award for the Looniest Government in India

]]> By: Sanjay http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-17334 Sanjay Sat, 30 Sep 2006 11:05:24 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-17334 The tragedy is that even students from English medium schools in Karnataka are poor in English and are just able to scrape by in IT and call center jobs. Making Kannada the medium will only erode the English skills of Karnataka students even further making them virtually unemployable in the IT/BPO sector. Students from neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala already speak better english with Andhra not far behind. Such restrictions will be gleefully welcomed by Karnatka's neighbour states who already are dominant in the IT/BPO sectors as far as employment goes The tragedy is that even students from English medium schools in Karnataka are poor in English and are just able to scrape by in IT and call center jobs. Making Kannada the medium will only erode the English skills of Karnataka students even further making them virtually unemployable in the IT/BPO sector. Students from neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala already speak better english with Andhra not far behind. Such restrictions will be gleefully welcomed by Karnatka’s neighbour states who already are dominant in the IT/BPO sectors as far as employment goes

]]> By: G Raja http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-17076 G Raja Fri, 29 Sep 2006 15:33:01 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2006/09/26/english-language-schools-in-karnataka/#comment-17076 <a href="http://southsarati.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">In other news...</a> In other news…

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