Karbi-medium schools started

Guwahati, Apr 12: It's a dream come true for many parents in Assam's Karbi Anglong District when their children finally get an opportunity to read and write in the vernacular language in classrooms across the district.

The Karbi Anglong District Autonomous Council has decided to set up at least one Karbi-medium primary school in each of the Council's 26 constituencies during the academic session beginning April.

"Karbi Anglong has 26 constituencies. We will have one school for each constituency. Right now, we have opened 16 schools and in the coming days we will open other remaining schools," said Bidya Singh Rongpi, Education Executive Member of Karbi Anglong.

It is for the first time Karbi language has been introduced in schools here. "I think knowing our language should be the priority. It's good for the area and for the people. It is only by knowing our language, we can make progress in all fields of life," said Rini Rongpipi, a teacher. Basa Hansipi, another teacher added, "The small kids do not know the Karbi language well, so such school was needed. They do not know the names of the months. Now, we can learn the Karbi language." The hill district has 1,413 primary schools under the Council's education department.

Karbi was included as an additional subject at the primary level in the first half of the nineties. In 2003, it was made a compulsory additional subject at the secondary level. Three years later, the Karbi Textbook Production Committee was dissolved and the Council set up the Karbi Language Development Board, as an autonomous organization. Karbi Anglong is one of the most backward and militancy prone districts of Assam. Education is now being promoted in a big way to contain militancy and backwardness of the region.

ANI