SHILLONG : Following the Meghalaya government’s Cabinet decision in recent years to introduce Khasi and Garo languages in schools up to Class I, an educationist has expressed concern that the move could create serious challenges in classroom implementation.
The policy proposes teaching the Khasi language in Garo-medium schools and the Garo language in Khasi and Jaintia-medium schools. Reacting to this, Bah Babu Kular Khongjeerem, a teacher at KJP Girls’ Higher Secondary School, said the decision may lead to significant difficulties due to a lack of trained teachers.
Speaking to the media, Khongjeerem questioned who would teach these languages, pointing out that many Khasi and Jaintia teachers are not trained in Garo, while several Garo teachers are unable to teach Khasi.
He clarified that he is not opposed to the policy and believes it is beneficial for students to be familiar with both languages. However, he stressed that implementation without proper preparation could be problematic.
According to him, the government’s long-term objective should be to include Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, rather than introducing them in schools without adequate institutional support.
Khongjeerem further cautioned that since Khasi is currently more widely used and more developed, while Garo has a comparatively smaller base, there is a risk that the policy could unintentionally impact the status and growth of the Khasi language.
The issue has sparked fresh debate on language preservation, educational preparedness, and policy planning in Meghalaya.