HT Correspondent
JORHAT, Jan 24: Responding to a call given by the Central Committee of AASU, the Jorhat regional unit of the students’ body on Wednesday staged a protest in front of Jorhat District Commissioner’s office complex seeking revocation of the decision of the Assam Government to teach science and mathematics subjects in English medium in all vernacular medium government schools from Class VI.
The protesters holding banners and placards shouted slogans against the Government, seeking withdrawal of the decision and to carry on with the earlier practice of teaching the two subjects in its respective languages.
They also burnt the copy of the Government notification regarding the Assam Cabinet decision in this regard. The protesters stated that the decision of the State Government was contrary to the announcements of the Prime Minister and union home minister, who in recent times were advocating for medium of teaching in engineering and medical institutions be done in the native languages.
They pointed out that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has laid emphasis on use of mother tongue and local languages in the primary level. Terming the Government’s move as detrimental to the growth of Assamese, Bodo and other local languages, the protesters asked the Government not to impose the said decision on the schools and listen to large number of voices opposing the move for the greater interest of Assam and the students.
The protesters, on the other hand, urged the Government to take necessary steps to improve the infrastructure of Government schools in the State. They said that since last year the AASU were holding stir programmes across the State opposing the decision and would continue to do so till Government withdraws the decision.
Meanwhile in Majuli island, the students’ body staged demonstration holding AASU flags banners and placards against the Government’s move and sought taking back the decision.