Jharkhand CM push for tribal, regional language in primary schools 

Ranchi, March 9 : Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren convened a high-level meeting with officials on Saturday to deliberate on strategies for the development and promotion of tribal and regional languages at the primary school level.

The state government has recently decided to include tribal and regional languages in the curriculum of classes 1 to 5 in government primary schools.

During the meeting held at the CM Secretariat, Soren directed officials to complete the process of empanelment of hour-based expert teachers of tribal and regional languages as soon as possible.

Promotion and development of the rich tribal and regional languages of the state is a priority of this government,” he said.

The ST, SC and OBC Welfare Department Minister, Deepak Birua, secretary to CM, Arva Rajkamal, and senior officials from the education department were present at the meeting

The chief minister asked the education department officials to work for incorporating tribal and regional languages in the curriculum for primary schools (between class one and five) at the earliest.

This would be the first occasion since the state was carved out of Bihar in 2000 that primary schools across the state will have classes in tribal languages.

“This is needed for promotion and preservation of tribal and regional languages in the state which is a priority for the present government,” said Champai Soren in a release issued by the chief minister’s secretariat.

The chief minister also asked the education department officials to employ teachers on ad-hoc (bell-based) basis for starting teaching of tribal and regional languages so that teaching can be started at the earliest.

At the moment only Odiya and Bengali are among the regional languages being taught in few schools of the state especially in Kolhan region.

“However, based on the directive of the chief minister more regional languages like Santhali, Kudukh, Khadiya, Khortha, Nagpuri and Mundari will also be taught in schools,” said an official in the chief minister’s secretariat.