MyVoice: Views of our readers 20th January 2022

Conduct classes offline safely

Online education is not giving desired results. Many students are facing many difficulties or problems. A better solution would be to conduct offline classes safely with social distancing by making every class into two halves or two equal groups of students. Conducting classes for each group separately as morning session and afternoon session or on alternate days can also be explored. Additionally, going for alternate days classes option, syllabus must be reduced drastically (of at least non- scientific subjects). For morning sessions and evening sessions option, separate teachers should be deployed for separate sessions via recruiting more teachers, to avoid overwork and stress on one set of teachers.

Sahaara Nivriti Vishlesha, Secunderabad

Go for blended approach

This refers to "Teaching in English difficult for teachers now" and news "Telugus who excelled without studying in English medium" (19 Jan). At a time when over the last two years education has been placed in non-essential list jointly by the Centre and state government, instead of focusing on how to normalise education and bring back the children to the school, our leaders are playing language politics. In fact, it is because of incoherent policies our children are neither proficient in home language or English.

To introduce English medium without Ttachers who are proficient in English language skills would be a disaster. Up to a certain level schools should make the children strong in their home language and thereafter if focus is given on English language it would be easy for them to pick up the language which again should not be taught like subject but as skill. The list though not comprehensive, are shining examples who have excelled.

N Nagarajan, Hyderabad

II

This refers to great personalities from AP who excelled in their speaking and writing skills in English, without attending an English medium school. This is the case with innumerable others who are common men in the country. Those were the days when English teachers were so knowledgeable and talented that they taught very systematically the language to students, and even the mediocre ones easily picked up the needed skills of the language as the training, and teaching covered all gamut of the language, leaving no doubt or hesitation on part of the individual who is at it.The great stalwarts who were listed in the report learned other Indian languages with extreme ease and confidence. Their depth of knowledge in Indian philosophy and religious matters was profound.

K R Venkata Narasimhan, Madurai

III

At the outset, education has two aspects--stability and change. But the Government of Telangana while deciding to introduce English medium in government schools from the coming academic year appears to have given no thought in the first place as to how stable will it be in the absence of qualified teachers to teach the various subjects in English knowing well that to develop necessary skills for teaching in English language by the available teachers in Telugu and Urdu medium is a herculean task because they have only linguistic competence.

However, it is generally accepted that educating children in mother tongue is the best form as they would be able to understand and grasp the subject better. Therefore, the government instead of strengthening the infrastructure and improving the quality of education in rural schools which will drive more parents to come forward to admit their wards in government schools deciding to introduce English medium in the belief that it would increase the strength of the are under a mistaken belief because the geniuses, stalwarts including statesmen of yesteryears coming out in flying colours in various fields from the Telugu states were all products of government schools. All in all, government's decision to allocate more funds to improve infrastructure in govt schools is heartening but at the same time it is imperative that only after steps are taken to impart training to select teachers in English, the government should go ahead to start English medium in government schools until then government must concentrate its efforts to improve infrastructure which are poor and bad in shape in government schools.

K.R.Srinivasan, Secunderabad

Jagan govt cheating its employees

This has reference to 'Govt Staff on war path' in the Hans India. Generally, government employees expect at least some hike in their salaries after the announcement of PRC. The very purpose of revising the pay scales is to compensate for the increasing cost of living. But surprisingly, the AP govt gave its employees a big blow by decreasing their salaries. Moreover, it set off 6 DAs pending to them with the reduction in fitment announced earlier. HRA has also been decreased. It is nothing but cheating employees as the govt is acting completely against the promises made at the time of elections. With this action, the present govt has completely lost its credibility. Hope it will mend its ways soon.

D V Seshasai, Narasaraopet

AP Oppn frustrated

Telugu Desam Party is not able to digest very good rule by YSRCP and now they are able to understand that they cannot come to power as long as YSRCP exists. They are so much frustrated and are trying to create a law and order problem in Andhra Pradesh as they cannot see the people being happy and peaceful. The audio leak of TDP's plot to create law and order problem by conducting State-wide protest for the murder of a person in Macharla due to personal rivalry is an apt example . TDP leaders are also using abusive and vulgar language in the name of freedom of expression.

Sambasiva Rao Choda, Hyderabad