Gujarat government makes English compulsory for Classes 1 to 3 in Gujarati medium schools

NEW DELHI: The Gujarat school education department has taken the decision to make English subject compulsory in Classes 1 to 3 in all Gujarati-medium schools, education minister Jitu Vaghani announced via social media.

Vaghani said in a tweet, “An important decision of the education department.”

શિક્ષણ વિભાગનો મહત્વપૂર્ણ નિર્ણય pic.twitter.com/htIPXqSCAg

— Jitu Vaghani (@jitu_vaghani) June 6, 2022

According to the education department’ decision, English subject will be taught in all streams from Classes 1 to 3. While the language will be orally taught in Classes 1 to 2, Class 3 students will have an English textbook. The subject will be taught with the help of words and pictures.

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In March, the Gujarat government said that in the upcoming year, English will be introduced from Class 1 to ensure that students of Gujarati and other non-English medium schools become more conversant in the language and don’t face problems in the future, as per a PTI report.

Currently, basic English is introduced from Class 4 in Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi, Urdu and Tamil medium schools affiliated to the state education department. "We have decided to introduce English from Class 1 in all schools, except English medium ones. Students of Classes 1 and 2 will be given basic knowledge of the language. We want students to get familiarised with the subject and develop listening and speaking skills," Vaghani had said in the Assembly.

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There won't be any textbooks. Only teachers will get guidance material, Vaghani had said.

The education minister stressed that English is being introduced in schools as a subject, not as a medium of instruction. "From Class 3, we will introduce English as a full-fledged subject in all non-English medium schools. The focus will be on listening, speaking and writing aspects. We are doing this so that students start learning the language at an early stage and don't face problems in the future," he said.