CISCE asks member schools to teach Kannada as first or second language  

Asking its member schools to abide by the language teaching policies of the States where they are located, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Tuesday directed its member schools to teach Kannada as the first or second language in Karnataka. 

Asking its member schools to abide by the language teaching policies of the States where they are located, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Tuesday directed its member schools to teach Kannada as the first or second language in Karnataka. 

In the Karnataka Education Institutions (Issue of No Objection Certificate and Control) Rules which were notified under the Kannada Language Learning Act, 2015, the State government has made it mandatory for ICSE and CBSE schools to teach Kannada as the first or second language. 

Even as many schools were opposed to this rule, Joseph Emmanuel, CISCE chief executive and secretary, and G. Immanuel, CISCE chairman, said that schools will have to follow the teaching policies of the State, during a meeting of principals of CISCE schools on Tuesday. 

“If the Karnataka government has mandated that all schools should teach Kannada as the first or second language, then the same must be followed by CISCE schools,” they said.  

The officials also spoke about assessing the performance of CISCE schools on six parameters, along the lines of Education World Rankings. While teaching and learning will make up for 40% of the assessment, infrastructure and other issues will be assessed for the remaining 60%.  

“These assessments would be a benchmark for healthy competition among schools. Along with board inspections, schools can also ask for a revised peer assessment (from other schools) to understand their performance. They can also request the board for a re-assessment,” Mr. Emmanuel said.  

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Associated Management of Schools (KAMS) also gave a letter to Mr. Immanuel about the proliferation of unauthorised schools in the State without affiliation to any board, “which is creating several challenges for legitimate ICSE-affiliated schools.”