Panel recommends Malayalam teaching in all schools

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 16 (PTI) The assembly committee onofficial languages has recommended that teaching of Malayalambe made compulsory in all schools in Kerala including thoseunder CBSE and ICSE syllabi.

The procedure for this should be completed during thisacademic year itself, the committee said in its recommendationto the government.

Addressing reporters here, Committee chairman P Viswansaid irrespective of the syllabus, Education Department shouldtake steps to teach Malalayalam upto the tenth standard in allschools.

The panel also suggested that correspondence among thedepartments under education should also be in the mothertongue. As there were limitations in making Malayalamcompulsory in colleges, a new teaching system should beevolved giving due importance to Malayalam, Viswan said.

Steps should also be taken to switch the medium ofinstruction to Malayalam in law colleges also. For this,officials and teachers should be given training in the mothertongue, the panel suggested.

A translation cell should be set up in the technicaleducation department, Viswan said.

The panel also suggested introduction of Malayalam incommunications of other departments including generaladministration, tourism and environment.

The present trend of reluctance to use Malayalam inofficial communications would result in a situation whereinthe new generation would be unfamiliar with their mothertongue, the panel said in its report.