Schools welcome HC stay on three-language formula

Updated on: Thursday, November 17, 2011

Principals of schools that do not follow the state board welcomed the Bombay high court’s decision to stay two key state government directives. The government orders mandated that non-state board schools follow the three language formula from class I to VIII and implement the state board-prescribed curriculum for history and geography.

Hearing a petition filed by the Unaided Schools Forum, Justices BH Marlapalle and Nishita Mhatre on Monday stayed the implementation of the two government resolutions (GR), which were issued by the state education department in 2009 and 2010. In Maharashtra, the three language formula, by convention, means teaching of English, Hindi and the regional language, Marathi.

Several ICSE principals praised the HC order, saying the state board curriculum for history and geography is below par. And since the syllabus followed by ICSE schools is standardised across the country, it is impractical for them to accept the state board curriculum. “Many ICSE schools have already added Marathi in the curriculum of at least four grades. Why should the government interfere with other subjects now?” said a member of the Unaided Schools Forum.

Shyam Mehta, who is arguing the case for the forum, argued, “Now that the Right to Education Act is in place and its rules being adhered to, what is the need for another GR to cover the same point?”

Schools hoped that the issue would soon be resolved. “We wish a final decision will be out soon since there is a lot of uncertainty around the matter. Last academic year, we introduced Marathi for students studying in class I to VIII. We may have to change that. How can we continue making changes?” said Carl Laurie, principal of Christ Church School in Mazgaon.

In 2009, the state education department had issued a GR which asked all non-state board schools in Maharashtra to follow SSC curriculum for all subjects—to bring about some uniformity. The department also demanded that, just as in state board, non-state board schools maintain the three-language formula in class I to VIII.

The resolution was revised in early 2010. Under the new directive, the state sought that other education boards—such as CBSE, ICSE, IB and IGCSE—follow the state curriculum not for all subjects but just history and geography. On Tuesday, state education minister Rajendra Darda said, “Since this is a legal matter, I will have to first go through the detailed order before making a comment.” He assured that his department would revisit the two directives and search for ways to make them feasible for all schools.

“We need to have a better system in place,” said Xavier Luis, father of a student studying in St Mary’s High School, Byculla. “State interference in every aspect of non-state board schools is becoming a trend. It is important to promote the local language and we have no complaints against it, but trying to make changes in other subjects and challenging our authority will not be accepted.”

SUBJECT TO APPROVAL

In 2009, the state education department issued a government resolution (GR) which mandated that the various education boards functioning in Maharashtra follow a curriculum similar to that prescribed by the state board.

The department also demanded that, just as the state board, non-state board schools maintain the three-language formula in classes I to VIII.

After coming under severe criticism, the state issued a revised GR in early 2010 trimming its earlier demand. It asked that other boards follow the state board prescribed curriculum for not all subjects but just history and geography

An association of unaided schools called The Unaided Schools Forum objected to the state “interference” and filed a petition in the Bombay high court. On Monday, a division bench of Justices BH Marlapalle and Nishita Mhatre stayed the implementation of the GRs.

Schools welcome HC stay on three-language formula

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