'State Education dept mulling English medium schools from primary level'

Kolkata: The state Education department is mulling the idea of English medium schools right from the primary level. "Bengali medium schools will remain as it is. However, we are also thinking of starting some English medium schools from primary to upper primary levels. We hope this will reduce the number of dropouts which has been an area of concern in the state schools," state Education minister Partha Chatterjee said on the sidelines of a programme to mark 200 years of Hare School on Friday.

Chatterjee said that the department is inviting proposals in this regard from various teachers' bodies and educational institutions so that he can discuss the matter with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The state government has already started a dozen of separate sections for English medium schools in the Higher Secondary level. "Rural education will get a boost if we can start English medium schools from the primary level. For the last 17 years, English was neglected. There are a large number of schools in the city where there are teachers but number of students are few. We have to save these schools," Chatterjee said. In the recent times, there have been a number of instances when a number of guardians would go for private English medium schools as there is no primary school in English medium. However, Chatterjee said that it has been found that students from Bengali medium schools have been making it to the top of the merit list in Madhyamik and also in Higher Secondary.

Apart from Chatterjee, state Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay and Consumer Affairs minister Sadhan Pande were also present.