Mandatory Kannada teaching: Tough road ahead for non-Kannadiga parents

Kannada learning will be compulsory at all schools in next academic year

School children, DH file photo

The state government has made it mandatory for all schools to teach Kannada from class 1 to class 5. The initiative could serve as a way to promote the Kannada language but it could also pose a difficult challenge for non-Kannadiga parents.

Many are worried about the children's ability to score marks and they've begun sending them for Kannada tuitions. Some parents have also joined online Kannada courses to learn the basics of the language.

It's a tough situation for both non-Kannadiga parents and children are forced to learn Kannada.

"As a parent, I am really worried about how to assist my child in her learning as my kid is already getting herself over occupied (sic) with so much syllabus," says Nibedita. "Kids are really suffering a lot with an increased level of syllabus and poor quality teaching. This will just add to the problem,"

Some parents' solution is to get Kannadiga friends to assist with homework. Others say that learning basic Kannada to help their children will not work since the kids have to learn an entire syllabus of Kannada.

Many private schools are unhappy with the decision to make Kannada compulsory. A number of schools and teachers are also waiting to see how this will work in practice.

Some teachers are supportive since an extra language skill will help students communicate and aid in long-term job prospects.

The Kannada syllabus is as heavy as other subjects and non-Kannadiga students are facing a steeper learning curve.

Many parents also frequently relocate to different states due to the demands of their job. It is harsh for the children to learn a different language in every state. How many languages will they be forced to learn?

Many non-Kannadiga parents say Kannada learning should remain optional and not be compulsory.

One parent says that children should be given the freedom to learn, not be made to suffer. Imposing a language as a compulsion will kill their enthusiasm for learning, the parent says.

(The inputs are from non-Kannadiga parents across Bengaluru.)

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