Acceptance of the recommendations of the SCERT to implement English Medium in AP

Read the following:
1. G.O.Ms.No.85, School Education ( Prog.I) Department, Dt: 20.11.2019
2. G.O.Ms.No.89, School Education ( Prog.I) Department, Dt: 13.12.2019
3. G.O.Ms.No.15, School Education ( Prog.I) Department, Dt: 22.03.2020
4. Orders of the Hon’ble High Court of A.P. in WP (PILs) 183 & 185 of 2019 dt.15/4/2020.
5. e-file from the Commissioner of School Education, AP, Amaravati, dt. 20.04.2020.
6. G.O.Ms.No.20, School Education (Prog.I) Department, Dt: 21.04.2020.
7. Lr.Rc.No.ESE02/203/2020-COMMSEC-CSE dated 30.04.2020 of Commissioner School Education, AP, Ibrahimpatnam.
8. G.O.Ms.No.21, School Education (Prog.I) Department, Dt: 01.05.2020.
9. From the Director, SCERT, Lr. Rc.No.61B/C&T/2020 dated: 09.05.2020
10. Lr. Rc.No. ESE02/197/2020-COMM-SE-CSE, from the Commissioner of School Education, AP, Amaravati, dated 11.05.2020 & 13/5/2020.


ORDER:

1. In the G.O 1st read above, orders were issued converting all classes from I to VI in Primary, Upper Primary, High Schools under all Managements into English Medium from the Academic Year 2020-21 and gradually increasing each further class from the next consequent Academic Years.
2. In the G.O.2nd read above, orders were issued implementing the Telugu as compulsory subject in all schools under all Managements both Government and Private Schools in the State.
3. In the G.O. 3rd read above, orders were issued continuing one school for Telugu Medium at Mandal Headquarters and to continue all minor medium schools in all Managements except un-aided schools in the State.
4. Whereas, two WPs ( PIL) i.e., 183 & 185 of 2019 have been filed in the Hon’ble High Court with a prayer to set aside the orders issued by the Government vide G.O.Ms.No.81, School Education (Prog.I) Department, dated 05.11.2019 and G.O.Ms.No.85, School Education ( Prog.I) Department, dated 20.11.2019.
5. In the reference 4th read above, the Hon’ble High Court in WPs (PIL) 183 & 185 of 2019, delivered its judgement holding that the said G.Os are found not in conformity with the law, inter alia on the ground that the said G.O. has the effect of forcing the students’ choice without reference to his/her right to choose and the Hon’ble High Court has also found that the SCERT which is the Academic Authorityas per RTE Rules 2011 was not involved in the decision making under Section 29(2) of the RTE Act, 2009 leading to the decision.
6. While holding so, the Hon’ble High court negatived the contention of theState and observed in their judgement that a child or on his behalf his parent or guardian, has a right to freedom of choice with regard to the medium of instruction in which he would like to be educated at primary stage in the school and not the school Monitoring Committees or Parents Associations.
7. Therefore, in the reference 5th read above, Commissioner School education has requested government to permit him to ascertain the choice from Parent /Guardian of the students who studied from Class I to V during the Academic Year 2019-20 with respect to the Medium of Instruction in which they would like their children to pursue their education in the coming Academic Year 2020-21 and vide G.O 6th read above, Government have issued orders to the Commissioner of School Education to ascertain the choice from Parent / Guardian of the students who studied from Class I to V during the Academic Year 2019-20 with respect to the Medium of Instruction in which they would like their children to pursue their Education in the coming Academic Year 2020-21.
8.  In the reference 7th read above, Commissioner, School Education has reported that as per the orders issued by the Government he has ascertained options from the (17,85,669) Parents/students against (17,87,035) parents/students wherein 96.17 % of the total options were towards English Medium, 3.05 % opted for Telugu Medium and 0.78% opted for other minor media. While informing the above status the Commissioner, School Education has requested the Government for taking further necessary action.
9. In compliance of the G.O. 8th read above, orders were issued to the Director, SCERT/ State Academic Authority to furnish their recommendations with regard to the issue of providing Primary Education in English Medium on the touchstone of the parameters under Section 29(2) (a) to (f) the RTE Act, 2009 read with Section 7 of AP Education Act, 1982.
10. In the reference 9th read above, the Director, SCERT has submitted the “Recommendations with regard to Primary Education in English Medium” (containing 59 pages ) to the Government and the excerpts from page No. 55 to 58 of the report are reproduced below: