Kolkata, Jan 1 : For a long time, students studying in Bengali-medium schools in West Bengal have been grappling with a fear of the English language. Due to a lack of confidence in speaking, writing and understanding English, many students tend to fall behind academically. To address this long-standing concern, the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) has taken a special initiative.

A special workshop has been organised at the beginning of the new year with the objective of helping such students overcome their fear of the English language and build confidence.

A senior official of the state Education Department said on Thursday that the special training camp will be held at Vidyasagar Bhavan in Salt Lake from January 5 to January 9. Organised by the WBCHSE, the workshop will be attended by students from more than 150 Bengali-medium schools across the state.

As many as 2,000 students will receive practical training in the English language during the five-day programme. Classes will be conducted in two sessions each day, with around 200 students participating in each session.

The students selected for the workshop are Class XI students who have English as their second language. The Council has observed that students from Bengali-medium schools often display hesitation and fear when it comes to speaking and writing in English.

Officials pointed out that proficiency in English plays a crucial role in higher education and future career opportunities. Keeping this in mind, the Council has taken this step to help students overcome their inhibitions and strengthen their communication skills.

Priyadarshini Mallick, Secretary of the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education, said, â??This initiative aims to eliminate the fear of English that exists among students of Bengali-medium schools. Initially, it is being introduced for students from a few districts. Gradually, this type of training will be extended to students from all districts of the state.â??

In the first phase, students from schools in North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, parts of Howrah and Kolkata have been given the opportunity to participate in the workshop.

Educationists said that if the initiative proves successful, it could bring about a significant improvement in English language learning among students of Bengali-medium schools in West Bengal.

/IANS