[MLE] Jharkhand: Tribal and regional language development

Dear MLE friends,
Some good news from Jharkhand: chief minister Madhu Koda made tall promises for the betterment of the tribal and regional languages. Read on…
Shalom,
Karsten

Karsten van Riezen
Education Consultant, SIL Int.
Director
SIL, South Asia Group.
www.sil.org
_______________________ http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080818/jsp/jharkhand/story_9706907.jsp# ____________________________________________________

Koda tall talks on tribal languages ; - Pledge to form policy in seminar
OUR CORRESPONDENT
(From left) Chief minister Madhu Koda, health minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi and HRD minister Bandhu Tirkey at a meet on tribal and regional languages. Picture by Manik Bose
Ranchi, Aug. 17: At a time when the future of the government led by him appears bleak, chief minister Madhu Koda made tall promises for the betterment of the tribal and regional languages.
Appointment of teachers, policy formation and funding were among the many offers made by Koda on the occasion. Human resource development minister Bandhu Tirkey was also present.
Speaking at a state-level seminar on “Tribal and regional language development” organised by art and culture department at Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) today, Koda said: “A society is identified by the language it speaks, and hence, both tribal and regional languages needed support to evolve.”
“Children should be encouraged to learn these languages as early as possible. Only then the development of the languages will start taking shape,” Koda added.
“The government will soon initiate steps to appoint teachers for tribal and regional languages,” Koda said, adding that the matter would be discussed in a cabinet meet soon.
“Based on the suggestions given by language scholars we can frame a policy and a roadmap for the languages to evolve,” Koda said.
He added that posts would be created at schools, colleges and university-level to facilitate appointment of teachers.
“After creation of the state, this is the first time that we have got an opportunity to explain our views on the tribal language that have hitherto remained neglected,” said Tirkey.
He said scholars of tribal and regional languages should come forward to help the government in forming a language policy.
“There are four regional and five tribal languages spoken in our state. None of them have got the place they deserve. Overall development of the state would be possible only when we start working in our own language,” Tirkey said.
Former vice-chancellor of Ranchi University Ram Dayal Munda rued policy-makers’ apathy and asked them to go beyond paper and start working at the ground-level.
“Many seminars have been organised on the subject in the past. Many resolutions have been passed. But the languages of the state are still leading the life of orphans,” he said in his keynote address.
From: PamelaJMackenzie@aol.com [mailto:PamelaJMackenzie@aol.com]
Sent: 19 August 2008 13:29
To: djhingran@gmail.com
Cc: karsten_van_riezen@sil.org
Subject: [] Jharkhand
Have you seen this??

Pam


Koda tall talks on tribal languages - Pledge to form policy in seminar
OUR CORRESPONDENT


Ranchi, Aug. 17: At a time when the future of the government led by
him appears bleak, chief minister Madhu Koda made tall promises for
the betterment of the tribal and regional languages. Appointment of
teachers, policy formation and funding were among the many offers made
by Koda on the occasion. Human resource development minister Bandhu
Tirkey was also present. Speaking at a state-level seminar on "Tribal
and regional language development" organised by art and culture
department at Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) today, Koda said: "A
society is identified by the language it speaks, and hence, both
tribal and regional languages needed support to evolve."


Full story:
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080818/jsp/jharkhand/story_9706907.jsp#