Chandigarh, March 17:
Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker S. Kultar Singh Sandhwan has written a demi-official letter to Dharmendra Pradhan, Education Minister Government of India and brought his attention about the the numerous errors in the Punjabi text book “Punjabi Primer” (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਕਾਇਦਾ) published under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi. This book is designed for Balvatika/Anganwadi-level children and adult literacy programs, contains significant spelling mistakes and factual inaccuracies, particularly in the representation of the Punjabi alphabet.
He pointed out that one of the most glaring errors in that book which incorrectly starts the Punjabi alphabet with “ਅ” instead of the correct ” ਓ “. Such fundamental mistakes not only misguide young learners but also undermine the effectiveness of literacy initiatives for adults. It is imperative that educational materials, especially those meant for foundational learning, maintain the highest standards of accuracy and authenticity, Sandhwan said.
He also urged the Education Minister, Government of India to initiate an immediate review and revision of this textbook by qualified Punjabi linguistic experts and scholars to ensure that learners receive correct and reliable content. Furthermore, he said that it is crucial to establish a strict editorial and quality-checking process for all future publications to prevent such errors.
Speaker Sandhwan highlighted that ensuring error-free learning materials is essential for the success of foundational education and literacy programs in our country. He also requested him to urgently intervene in addressing this matter at the earliest.
