Lucknow, Oct 8: Nearly 5,000 state government-run English medium primary schools are likely to come up in Uttar Pradesh soon, Anupama Jaiswal, the minister of state for basic education, said on Saturday while claiming that they may become functional from the next academic session. Also Read - This University Postpones Medical Examinations at The Last-Minute | Details Inside

Reportedly, five or more such schools will be set up in over 820 blocks of the state. Also Read - 2,500 Visitors in One Shift, Online Booking | Taj Mahal Set to Reopen From Monday After 6 Months

Jaiswal said that the huge demand for English medium schools prompted the government to take the decision. She has been quoted by Hindustan Times as saying that the step would cater to the demand of the parents who are seen queuing up in large numbers for English medium schools. Also Read - Kangana Ranaut Wants 'Terrorism Free' Film Industry After Yogi Adityanath's Announcement

Notably, the government will not set up new schools instead, it will convert the existing primary schools into English medium institutions. For this purpose, teachers will be provided with a thorough training and English books will be given to them, basic education director Sarvendra Vikram Bahadur Singh said. Echoing him, Jaiswal said that the government will make efforts and ensure that proper English is being taught to students and that teachers are able to make children pronounce words correctly.

Reportedly, a similar step was taken by the previous government in Uttar Pradesh two years back when the Samajwadi Party (SP) government had set up two such schools in every district of the state. The step had received overwhelming response. “The attendance of students went up in a big way. This led the (present) state government to plan more such schools,” an official was quoted by HT as saying.