Guyanese who are interested in learning Hindi are given the opportunity to travel to India for a special programme but soon, online classes will be available and it might be added to school curriculums, the Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr KJ Srinivasa has disclosed.
Hindi is the third most used language in the world.
During a recent interview with the News Room, the Indian High Commissioner said, “These courses will be recognised across the world and this is a golden opportunity for persons who want to learn Hindi but at the same time for those who want to widen their horizons and learn more about India and its culture.”
He said the language is also proposed for local schools.
“Last year I had called on the Minister of Education and proposed that we should have an introduction of Hindi as an optional language for children who want to study that.
“We have also proposed involving our staff from the cultural centre to help the students to learn some Indian music and singing, so the honourable minister said that they will consider it. We are working with the Government of Guyana on that front,” Dr Srinivasa said.
He explained that teachers from the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) and the support of the Indian Government would allow children to learn Hindi in schools.
From the Education Ministry’s end, a vacancy notice was shared last Wednesday for part-time teachers to teach musical instruments and several foreign languages, including Hindi. The deadline for the submissions is February 3, 2023.
During the celebration of World Hindi Day at the Indian Arrival Monument at Palmyra, Berbice on Saturday last, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud, expressed her support for the introduction of Hindi to schools but she said the children’s interest in learning the language will ultimately be the determining factor for it to be introduced.
Years ago, officials from the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha met with the then Education Minister and asked that Hindi is introduced in schools. Though it was approved, the children had to be interested in the language to be taught.
“Here again the opportunity exists because this is something we want to see but you the young people have to say I want to learn Hindi,” Dr Persaud said.
Excellent! Excellent! Long overdue.