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'Kannada medium' teacher teaches in Malayalam all through academic year

Last Updated 28 March 2013, 18:55 IST

In a strange incident, a Kannada medium teacher in Kerala, who is supposed to teach in Kannada language, has managed to complete the syllabus of an entire academic year by teaching in Malayalam, as she doesn’t know to speak or write Kannada.

The issue has happened in Government Higher Secondary School Hosdurg, at Kanjangad in Kasargod district. As it was evident that it is a clear case of language minority’s rights being usurped, Kerala Education Minister has sought a report from District Director of Education.

The lady High School teacher who hails from southern Kerala, got appointment an year ago to teach Social Science.

Without knowing Kannada, the teaching method she adopted was to prepare Kannada notes in Malayalam with someone’s help and read it aloud in the class, it is learnt. The issue came to light when students informed it to their parents and subsequently Hosdurg Taluk Kannada Sangha taking up the matter. But the hue and cry by Kannada organisations fell on deaf ears and the teacher went on to teach throughout the academic year (2012-13).

“This is the third time such an issue took place in Kasargod district. Every time we used to raise the issue, authorities will oblige, but only to repeat again. This is a clear case of usurping linguistical minority’s rights,” says Kasargod Karnataka Samithi Honorary President B V Kakkillaya.

Loopholes in recruitment

Kakkillaya blames loopholes in the recruitment process of Kerala Public Service Commission (KPSC) for the issue. “Kannada medium teacher’s expertise in the language is verified at the time of KPSC interview. One KPSC temporary member on the interview board is supposed to check this and every time he will give a wide ‘yes’. Those fake Kannada knowing interviewees will take one or two month Kannada learning course and will produce a certificate. That’s their proficiency in the language”.

He added that if any member insisted on strict verification, then he will not be on the board next time. “Because of this weak procedure, we have been demanding that only who had studied in Kannada medium from class 1 to 10 should appoint as teachers in the medium,” explained Kakkillaya.

Submission in Assembly

It was Kanjangad MLA E Chandrasekharan who raised the issue in State Assembly as submission and made Education Minister to seek a report from District Director of Education.

“I had discussed the same with DDE and upon preliminary enquiry, he got convinced about the veracity of the issue and hence I took it as a submission,” the MLA told Deccan Herald.

He rued that when scores of Kannada knowing people are searching for a government job in Kasargod, fake ‘Kannada Masters’ are being inducted. Meanwhile, the presence of agencies producing fake Kannada knowing certificates in the district also needs to be checked, sources said.

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(Published 28 March 2013, 18:55 IST)

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