Karnataka on Saturday took exception to the appointment of Malayalam-speaking teachers in Kannada-medium schools in Kasaragod district of Kerala despite several requests against such moves earlier.
The immediate trigger for this came after a Malayalam-speaking teacher, who was appointed to teach Social Science in the Government Higher Secondary Kannada Medium School in Adoor, Kasaragod district, arrived to report to duty on Saturday. The Karnataka Border Area Development Authority sources said this triggered a protest by students. The red flag was raised since the teacher did not know Kannada and could not teach Social Science to the Kannada-medium students.
Repeat of last year
“Last year, teachers who did not know Kannada had been appointed in several Kannada-medium schools. The government later withdrew their services after the authority intervened,” Prakash Mattihalli, secretary of Karnataka Border Area Development Authority, told The Hindu.
He said that earlier this year when the authority officials met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he had assured that such things will not recur. “I have spoken to the Kasaragod DC, who has assured to look into the matter,” he added. The authority has now sought the issue to be placed before the district-level committee constituted to look after “minority linguistic issues.”
Mr. Prakash on Saturday also shot off a letter to Kasaragod district collector Bhandri Swagat Ranweerchand seeking appointment of teachers who know Kannada language in all Kannada-medium schools across Kasaragod district as per the Government Order. The authority has also brought the issue to the notice of Karnataka’s Minister for Kannada and Culture.
Earlier assurance
Mr. Prakash referred to earlier communications and a meeting in April this year where the problems pertaining to Kasaragod Kannadigas were explained. He also pointed to an order of the Kerala government that has directed not to appoint teachers who do not know Kannada to Kannada-medium schools of Kasaragod district.
In February, 2022, Principal Secretary General Administration (Services-D) Department of the Kerala government in a communique to the Chennai-based Assistant Commissioner of Linguistic Minorities, Southern Zone of Union Ministry of Home Affairs, had said that appointment of teachers who do not know Kannada are strictly avoided. The communique also said that there is a shortage of teachers who are proficient in Kannada in Kannada-medium schools in areas bordering Karnataka. The Kerala government has also said that linguistic minority students are neither barred from learning their mother tongue nor forced to learn Malayalam.
