An initial fee of ₹950 will be taken as security deposit; classes to be held across 50 centres
An initial fee of ₹950 will be taken as security deposit; classes to be held across 50 centres
The Delhi government will embark upon a “mega mission” to help every youth in the Capital speak fluent English, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced here on Saturday.
Mr. Kejriwal said the AAP government will roll out a state-of-the-art free-spoken English course for residents between 16 years to 35 years. An initial fee of ₹950 will be taken as a security deposit which will be refunded at the end of the course, subject to their attendance, he said.
BJP questions
North East Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari took to social media to question a similar scheme launched by the Delhi government in 2018.
“We’ve noticed how the youth of the lower middle class and middle-class families first face difficulties in speaking English and then in securing jobs due to it. Delhi’s youth will significantly benefit from this course,” Mr. Kejriwal told a digital briefing.
In collaboration
“This course will be of the highest international standards. We are tying up with Macmillan and Wordsworth. Cambridge University will assess the entire course,” he said, adding that those who are employed will be able to take classes in evening and on weekends.
One lakh students will be trained under the scheme in the first year in Phase I, which will see it unfold at 50 centres across Delhi. The Delhi Skill & Entrepreneurship University will run the course, Mr. Kejriwal said.
Phase I will be open to students who have cleared Class VIII provided they have basic knowledge of English and have studied English till Class VIII. The government, he added, has a capacity to enroll 1 lakh such students in Phase I.
“Training of over 120-140 hours will be imparted. It is our dream that every child of the country, irrespective of their financial background, gets an excellent education,” he said.
“I am optimistic that our children will benefit from this programme. They will secure employment and the programme will aid in their personality development so that they become confident individuals,” he said.
Reacting to the announcement, Mr. Tiwari tweeted, “You are serving lies to the people again after four years. Didn’t you start the same course in 2018? Or had you lied to the media just to get publicity?” [sic], he asked, sharing Mr. Kejriwal’s tweets related to the scheme four years apart.
