‘English medium schools in Telangana can change fate of next generation’   

Educational researcher Dr V Gurunadha Rao stresses on need for basic amenities in govt schools

Mahabubabad: Senior physical science teacher and educational researcher Dr V Gurunadha Rao said English medium schools can change the fate of the next generation and stressed on the need for improvement of the basic amenities like water facilities, toilets for students and teachers besides giving special care in the construction of the toilets for female students under the ‘Mana Ooru – Mana Badi’ scheme.

Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’ in an exclusive interview with regard to the State government’s pioneering scheme aimed at transforming government schools, he said: “Every school complex should become a resource centre for teachers and students.” “There is a need for a meeting/conference hall to share ideas on the innovative methods of teaching and learning process among the faculty members, and the students must attend workshops to get hands-on experience besides showcasing their talents,” said Gurundha Rao, who had taken part in a two-day national level workshop of teachers and heads of schools on ‘National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) guiding document’, as a part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recently.

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“ICT labs and hubs for teachers and students at the school complex level which would work as startup centers should be set up. Language learning labs also must be set up at schools, besides providing internet connection to each High School,” he said and added that every school complex must have an innovative hub with active links to stakeholders of research and development.

He appreciated the State government’s efforts to improve facilities and provide quality education to poor students from rural areas. “Teachers working in the government schools are most competent than their counterparts in private schools,” he said.

Since the government is offering midday meals at schools, he said that kitchen and dining halls should also be constructed. “Constriction of compound wall for every school and beautification of the premises will create good learning environs for the students,” he said and stressed the need for setting up of sports and games centres, and libraries as extracurricular activities help in the overall growth of the students. “We need to address current and emerging sustainability challenges through education by empowering learners with new skills, values and attitudes that lead to more sustainable societies,” he said.

Welcoming the idea of introducing English medium in the government schools, Dr Gurundha Rao said that teaching in English is different from knowing English. “Teaching needs ability to express, creativity, comprehension etc. It is not just verbal communication. English speaking teachers need to be recruited for the new English medium schools. Subjects like Mathematics, Physical Science, Social Studies, Biological Sciences in the English medium schools need to be taught by teachers who are fundamentally strong in English. The terminology, vocabulary, grammatical framing of sentences can be done only by teachers who are fluent in English,” he said, and added that recruiting ‘capable’ teachers is indeed a big challenge. He asserted that English medium schools will change the fate of the next generation.

“A favourable ecosystem needs to be created for the transition. Recruitment of new teachers and imparting training to existing teachers is the need of the hour,” he said adding that existing schools with Telugu and Urdu medium were partially converted into English medium schools. “However, we need to construct new buildings as the teachers also feel that by converting schools with good infrastructure into semi residential and fully residential schools, they can provide additional help for the students at the school complex.

Gurunadha Rao is presently working at ZPHS in Khambalapally village of Mahabubabad district. He attended nearly 100 national and international conferences and presented research papers, published more than 50 articles in reputed national and international journals.

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