Introduction of Hindi into the school curriculum makes teachers upbeat
For the first time in Victoria, a government school in Cranbourne will teach Hindi to the students for LOTE. The Rangebank Primary School recently embarked on this exciting challenge to teach an Indian language to all its students from prep to Grade 6.
“India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and holds a wealth of opportunities for Victoria and Victorians, which is why it’s vital we continue to build relationships with Asia, and particularly India,” said Education Minister Mr Martin Dixon while visiting Rangebank Primary recently.
“Many Victorian government schools are strengthening students’ understanding of Asian history and culture, including teaching a range of languages such as Japanese, Mandarin and Indonesian, but until now Hindi has not been one of them,” stated Mr. Dixon.
“I am delighted to be here with the teachers today to witness the final preparations for the new Hindi program and I look forward to hearing how the classes are progressing throughout the year,” he added, speaking from the school.
Rangebank Primary School’s Principal Colin Avery said there was a buzz among teachers preparing for the Hindi program. “Everyone is really excited about this new challenge, which we think will really benefit our students,” said Mr Avery.
Pooja Verma who teaches in Rangebank Primary agrees. “We have recently started preparing our school for this momentous step. Right from the Principal Mr Avery, who was mainly instrumental in getting this going, to other teachers, parents and students, everyone is looking forward to learning and understanding Hindi. To begin with we intend to start with prep, grade 1 and grade 2, and eventually this will be rolled out to other classes as well,” disclosed Pooja.
Young Pooja migrated to Melbourne nearly five years ago from India’s capital city, New Delhi. She is a qualified teacher and has experience in teaching primary and middle schools in Delhi. In her current teaching role at Rangebank Primary School, she will be mainly responsible for the Hindi classes.
“Our Principal Mr. Avery has been to India and loves the tradition, culture and language there. He believes that Hindi is one of the most scientific languages of the world, and India will soon be a very vital part of the global economy,” said Pooja. According to her, Mr. Avery and his team are also planning to set up a sister school relationship with India soon, where students will have an opportunity to share their experiences and learn from each other.
“This is the first time a Government school will be teaching Hindi in Victoria and we need all the support and guidance we can get from the Indian and mainstream community to ensure the success of this initiative,” added Pooja.