German embassy reaches out to education ministry, seeks increase in German lessons in KVs

The German embassy has reached out to the Ministry of Education to explore possible ways to increase German lessons in all Kendriya Vidyalayas noting that the number of students studying the language in KVs has considerably gone down and as a result, over 270 language teachers have been laid off.The development comes following Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathans decision two years ago to teach German only outside school hours.

The German embassy has reached out to the Ministry of Education to explore possible ways to increase German lessons in all Kendriya Vidyalayas noting that the number of students studying the language in KVs has considerably gone down and as a result, over 270 language teachers have been laid off.

The development comes following Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan's decision two years ago to teach German only outside school hours. ''Only 18,500 students are able to continue with the German language learning sessions at KV schools. As many as 271 of the German teachers have already been laid off due to this development. The embassy is in touch with the ministry to explore possible ways and means to re-increase German lessons in all KV schools," an embassy spokesperson said in an e-mail response.

''The German embassy is working closely with the KVs and education ministry to find out a constructive solution in accordance with the New Education Policy, NEP 2020 and CBSE guidelines that benefits the students to achieve their goals and meet their incessant desire to learn German, being the most used language in Europe right after English,'' the spokesperson added.

While there was no official response from the education ministry, the KVs said for any additional language it requires atleast 15 students or more in a school opting to study it.

''Offering foreign language as a third language violates the three-language policy but for any additional language to be offered within school hours, a minimum of 15 students is required,'' a KV official said.

The official, however, did not comment about the embassy reaching out to the sangathan in this regard and whether the provisions in the NEP 2020 will offer any relaxations pertaining to this. The then Human Resource Development Ministry had in 2014 decided to replace German with Sanskrit as the third language in the KVs, arguing that the existing arrangement was against the three-language formula and ''violated'' the national policy on education.

In 2015, the KVs reintroduced German as a hobby subject or additional language.

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