The Telugu Akademi chairperson Lakshmi Parvathi has blamed former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for closure of nearly 30,000 Telugu medium government schools during his rule.
Speaking to The Hindu about the Telugu Akademi Society, started by the government to facilitate immediate printing of Telugu books, she said the language was given the least importance in the TDP rule.
Multi-prolonged approach
“The government schools suffered for want of facilities due to Mr. Naidu’s bias for corporate educational institutions. Without an official announcement of their closure, they were left to languish and ultimately shut down,” she said.
After the bifurcation, the division of the combined A.P. Telugu Akademi under Section 101 of the A.P. Reorganisation Act has not been taken up. Therefore the government has created the Telugu Akademi Society to develop Telugu language, embracing a multi-pronged approach.
“Besides promotion, development, dissemination and advancement of Telugu language and literature, the plan includes standardization of scientific, technical and administrative terminology in Telugu and to prepare and publish glossaries and dictionaries,” she explained, adding that focus would also be on reform and advancement of the Telugu script and to evolve methodology and aids for the study and teaching of the language.
Undertaking research in linguistics and conducting training classes for teachers in Telugu and publishing textbooks for Intermediate, Degree, B. Ed, D. Ed, PG etc and reference books, dictionaries, glossary and various books for competitive exams and supply them regularly to students and readers would entail the Akademi’s role, she said.
With its main office located in Tirupati, the Telugu Akademi Society will also focus on development of Sanskrit language.
She said it would also take up an advisory role on issues like adult literacy campaigns and carry out research in that field, to promote and encourage by awarding prizes and other incentives and to provide for the translation of standard works on scientific and technical subjects from other languages into Telugu.
On English as medium of instruction
Referring to the plan to introduce English as a medium of instruction in government schools, she said Telugu would not be neglected either. “Telugu is mandatory. A child learning the language from class I up to Intermediate will gain a firm grip over the language,” she asserted, pointing to the current system where students are given a choice between Telugu, Hindi and Sanskrit.
“Most students choose either Hindi or Sanskrit as they are seen as scoring subjects,” she said.
Ms. Lakshmi Parvathi said most parents want their children to study in English medium schools as they are seen as the gateway to admissions in good institutions for higher education and later, lucrative opportunities in the job market.
