Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) is set to introduce a two-stream system for the English subject in classes 9 and 10, beginning the next academic session. Under this system, students will choose between General English and Specific English, tailored to different learning needs. While this reform aims to improve English proficiency, the question remains: will it be enough to bridge the significant educational gaps in the state?

Urgent need for reform

Only 34.9% of class 8 students in the state can read basic English sentences. Just 26.7% of students of government schools can read English while 61.6% in students of private schools can read English. -Annual Status of Education Report (ASER).

13,198 schools in the state rely on just one teacher, and 3,620 schools lack separate toilets for girls. -Latest UDISE report

Will simplifying the syllabus be enough?

While the new system may help around 70% of students clear the MPBSE class 10 exams, the underlying question remains: will simplifying the syllabus truly address the core issues of learning and retention? While it may help bring down the dropout rate—12 lakh students left government schools between 2016 and 2024—there are deeper issues at play. School infrastructure, teacher shortages, and lack of resources remain persistent challenges that cannot be solved by curriculum reforms alone.

A step towards equal opportunity

Despite challenges, the two-stream system offers a crucial opportunity for government school students to catch up.

-----"The widening gap in English literacy between government and private school students is alarming," says Rajnish Shrotriya, teacher at CM Rise Govt Ahilya Ashram School, Indore. "This system could provide more focused attention and help students improve."

------Shweta Yadav, a class 9 student from a government school, is hopeful: "The General English stream will help me improve my communication skills, which are essential for my future." Private school students, with stronger English proficiency, can benefit from the Specific English stream, which deepens language skills.

--------"The Specific English stream will take my skills to the next level, preparing me for competitive exams," says Arjun Rao, a class 9 student from a private school in Indore.

Teacher training and infrastructure challenges

While the two-stream system is seen as a positive step, its success depends heavily on teacher training and adequate resources. With a severe shortage of teachers—especially in core subjects like English, Mathematics, and Science—many schools in Madhya Pradesh are unable to deliver quality education.

Better performance

“The flexibility and specialisation offered by the two-stream system are promising,” Gopal Soni, patron member of MP board private school association said, “By catering to the varied needs of students, we can help them perform better in exams and equip them with skills that will be useful in their future careers.”

Looking Ahead: Overcoming roadblocks

Despite the promising changes, teacher shortages, inadequate resources, and poor infrastructure remain significant hurdles.