Choice of Medium of Instruction in Govt Schools English Telugu GO 20

School Education Department – Medium of Instruction in all Government schools in the State – Parents committee resolutions – Obtaining the choice on medium of instruction from parents– Orders – Issued. SCHOOL EDUCATION (PROG.I) DEPARTMENT G.O.Ms.No.20 Dt:21.04.2020. 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 Committee or Parents Associations, and further stated that the Hon’ble High Court has observed in para 53 of their judgment that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which India is a signatory, may have its significance wherein at Article 26 (3) it was specifically mentioned that the parents have a right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to the children.

Choice of Medium of Instruction in Govt Schools English Telugu GO 20

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.
ORDER:

• In the G.O 1st read above, orders were issued for conversion of 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 to implement the Telugu as compulsory subject in all schools under all managements both Government and Private in the State.
• 3. In the G.O. 3rd read above, orders were issued to continue one school for Telugu Medium at Mandal Headquarters and to continue all minor medium schools in all managements except unaided 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. 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 procedure contemplated under the RTE Act, 2009 has not been followed. 

• 6. While holding so, the Hon’ble High court negatived the following contention of the State. The contention of the State government was that, as part of “Amma Vodi Varotsavam” held between 04.01.2020 to 09.01.2020, the Parent Committees (Earlier known as School Management Committees) all over the State have met on 07.01.2020 and debated with regard to introducing English as a medium of instruction in the Government schools from Class I to VI from the academic year 2020-21 and communicated their resolutions to the O/o Commissioner of School Education through District Education Officers in the State. The Commissioner of School Education has informed that the resolutions have been tabulated and found that 93.77% of the Parents committees have passed resolutions requesting for introduction of English medium in Government schools and 1.38% for Telugu Medium and 4.34% for both English and Telugu medium 0.46% for other media.
• 7. The Commissioner of School Education has further informed that the Hon’ble High Court of Andhra Pradesh vide reference 4th read above observed in Para 71 of judgment, 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 Committee or Parents Associations, and further stated that the Hon’ble High Court has observed in para 53 of their judgment that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which India is a signatory, may have its significance wherein at Article 26 (3) it was specifically mentioned that the parents have a right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to the children.
• 8. Therefore, the Commissioner of School Education vide reference 5th read above has requested to accord permission to ascertain the choice from the Parent/Guardian of every student who studied Class I to V during the academic year 2019-20, as to which medium of instruction they would like their children to pursue in the coming academic year 2020-21 in order to take necessary action in this regard. He has also submitted a model format for ascertaining the option of the Parents / Guardians. He further proposed that the District Educational Officers and Mandal Educational Officers shall be directed to obtain the parental choice through the field functionaries of the Village / Ward Secretariats as the Educational Institutions are closed at present.
• 9. After careful examination of the proposal, Government hereby accord permission 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. The choice shall be obtained through District Education Officers and Mandal Education Officers who would in turn circulate the formats to the parents through Village Secretariats in the State. He is further requested to furnish consolidated reports to the Government after obtaining the choice of the parents for taking further action in this regard.
• 10. The District Collectors are directed to issue necessary instructions to the Village and Ward Secretariats to collect choice of the parents/guardian following the protocols prescribed for COVID-19 with due precautions and safety measures.
• 11. The Commissioner of School Education, A.P. shall take necessary action in the matter, accordingly.