Challenges in Inclusive Education: Multi Lingual Education in Elementary Schools of Andhra Pradesh, India

Bharath Bhushan Mamidi

doi:10.13189/ijrh.2017.050203

Abstract

Mother tongue based education in early childhood and early primary school year is critical to the promotion of world's languages and cultures. The Right to Education Act 2009 and the National Policy for Children 2013 explicitly prioritize education for disadvantaged groups by creating an enabling environment through necessary legislative and policy measures and provisions. This paper is based on a study undertaken by the author to identify inclusive and exclusionary practices in government schools with special reference to teaching in mother tongue and multi-lingual education in schools in inter-state border areas of Andhra Pradesh. The study identified sample schools from inter-state border districts where exclusionary practices are assumed to be posing greater challenges owing to a host of other conditions like diverse linguistic communities, poor infrastructure facilities, and low access to opportunities of college education, amongst others.

Highlights

School data of Andhra Pradesh for 2012-13 reveals a very high drop out among the Scheduled Tribes, who are most marginalised and demand attention from the programmes of inclusion
Studies revealed students of Telugu medium as mother tongue, despite facing odds, performed significantly better than their English medium counterparts at the primary level in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
Field study reveals the importance of building a culturally responsive inclusive education system that guides redesigning of school curriculum while focusing on Multilingual education (MLE), in order to meet the expectations of these communities

Summary

Introduction

School data of Andhra Pradesh for 2012-13 reveals a very high drop out among the Scheduled Tribes, who are most marginalised and demand attention from the programmes of inclusion. GOAP policy with regard to linguistic minorities in the areas covered by field study provides evidence of response to the special needs of the children speaking Oriya, Savara and Tamil. Telugu is taught in Oriya medium schools of Srikakulam district so that students find it convenient to study in their mother tongue gradually shifting to Telugu medium schools. Teachers working in interstate border areas of Nellore have no knowledge of Tamil that is the only language the children or their parents speak in some villages bordering Tamil Nadu. These teachers face serious barriers in communicating with the children. There is no common language between the teachers and students in Tamil speaking schools of Tada mandal in Nellore. While you are teaching one group of students in a Class room other children have to sit idle or engaged in passive ways like giving them reading or writing work,” explained the class teacher

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Findings

Conclusions