The Meghalaya Education Department has proposed making Khasi and Garo languages compulsory for students up to Class 4 across the state.
It also wants introduction of mandatory sister language exposure, whereby Khasi/Jaiñtia students will learn basic Garo, and Garo students will learn basic Khasi.
For students whose mother tongue is Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, or Nepali, an additional subject of either basic Khasi or basic Garo based on the region has also been proposed to be introduced.
The department has sought feedback from stakeholders on the feasibility, challenges, and broader implications of the proposal before May 9.
Commissioner & Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri said that the initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to foster linguistic integration, cognitive development, and cultural unity in Meghalaya.
He said while the NEP supports early multilingualism since children aged 2–8 acquire languages rapidly, enhancing cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills, the department has also carried out a research that clearly shows that children pick up languages extremely quickly between that age group and multilingualism has great cognitive benefits to young students.
Additionally, the department also proposed to make changes to existing languages for Class 9 and 10 prescribed by the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) by removing Additional English for students to learn at least one Indian language.
“In view of addition of new languages, the other subjects will be rationalised accordingly in order not to increase the burden on the students,” Mantri said.
Stating that recruitment of trained Khasi and Garo teachers is a significant challenge, given the 9,665 primary schools across the state, he said the department has suggested introducing bilingual textbooks for basic Khasi and basic Garo. “Since both languages share the same script, a teacher proficient in either Khasi or Garo can effectively teach the basics of the other language using these textbooks,” Mantri added.
While there may be concerns from parents and students regarding additional workload or the perceived relevance of learning multiple languages, he said that the proposal comes after extensive research that supports the cognitive, cultural, and social benefits of early multilingualism. “Learning a sister language fosters state unity and interregional harmony, strengthening cultural ties across Meghalaya,” he stressed.
After receipt of feedback, the department will conduct consultations with the stakeholder in different groups.
