It has nothing to do with offence. Just preference. But bearing the brunt
of it all are city-based Gujarati medium schools.
With more and more parents preferring an English medium education for
their ward, long-standing Gujarati medium schools in the city are in dire
straits. English being the global currency in business and arguably, also in
social settings where regional languages dominate, not knowing the lingo
does impede progress. Realising the benefits of an English-speaking
ward, Gujju parents have decided to speak in the mother tongue at home
and let the education process unfold in English.
As such, statistics point at the notably declining numbers in Amdavad’s
Gujarati medium schools. Over the last few years, 90 per cent of the
applications received by the district education office for starting a school,
have been with reference to an English medium set up. Surprisingly, not a
single application has been received for starting a Gujarat medium school
in the last three years. In Ahmedabad city alone, there are about 1,500
schools of which, 550 are English medium, while about 700 are Gujarati
medium institutions. The remaining 150 are Hindi medium centres of
learning.
The drop in the admissions and registration of Gujarati medium schools
has impacted the 1956- establishment, H.B. Kapadia, Shahibaug. This
traditional school did face its fair share of difficulties before patrons
helped to revive the trusted school for generations.
According to sources in the education department, approximately 30 to
40 applications are received each year for starting a school. “Of this, only
three to four are sanctioned,” briefed the insider.
