Assam cabinet approves dual medium of instruction, co-education in schools

Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet on Thursday approved the proposal for introduction of a dual medium of instruction for Classes 6 to 12 in state-run schools. School authorities will be at liberty to introduce English without doing away with Assamese or any other vernacular language.

In a bid to ensure gender equality, the Cabinet also approved a proposal for having co-education facilities in all schools under the state government, barring a few girls’ schools that have a rich history and tradition.

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Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that five to ten schools in each district shall be identified for introducing dual medium and number of such schools shall be increased gradually depending on the outcome of the move.

Moreover, from the upcoming academic year 2023, mathematics and science will be taught in English from Class 3 in all government and provincialised Assamese and other vernacular medium schools and accordingly the book will be in English.

In another major change, geography and history will replace social studies as compulsory subjects in school curriculum, the chief minister said.

In the #AssamCabinet, we took several decisions related to dual medium in Govt schools, teaching of Science & Maths in English, Geography &History as compulsory subjects, new Tourism Policy, uniform building bye-laws, awards for Govt employees, caste certificates for Morans, etc. pic.twitter.com/gj9orPV86v

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 28, 2022

In a similar development, the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights directed the state government that there should only be co-education institutions in the southern state from the academic year 2023-24.