Guwahati: The Assam government’s Education Department has issued an official notification announcing the introduction of Rabha language as the medium of instruction in government schools.
In a landmark move, the state’s education department on Thursday announced that 105 Lower Primary Schools across Goalpara (81 schools) and Kokrajhar (24 schools) will now function as Rabha language medium institutions.
The announcement sparked excitement among Rabha organizations, especially the Bebak Rabha Kraurang Runchum (BRKR), also known as the Nikhil Rabha Sahitya Sabha, which has a long history of championing mother-tongue education.
Rajkumar Rabha, General Secretary of BRKR, hailed the notification as a “historic moment” for the Rabha community.
He said, “Our heartfelt thanks go to Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu for the decisive steps and recognising the linguistic rights of the Rabha people.”
“In the first phase, 105 schools have been notified. We are hopeful that more will follow,” Rabha said.
Rajkumar Rabha noted that while many existing teachers in Assamese medium schools are proficient in the Rabha language, the government has also assured future appointments of dedicated Rabha language teachers to strengthen the new medium of instruction.
For decades, Rabha organizations, including BRKR and the All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU), have advocated for mother tongue-based education to preserve their rich linguistic and cultural heritage.
Calling it a major milestone, All Rabha Students’ Union president Motilal Rabha said, “This reflects the state government’s commitment to uphold linguistic rights and promote inclusive education.”
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ARSU General Secretary Dr. Subhash Rabha stated, ‘This initiative is significant not only for the preservation and enrichment of the Rabha language but also for establishing a more solid foundational learning experience for Rabha-speaking children.”
