Guwahati: The Assam government’s Education Department has officially announced the introduction of the Rabha language as a medium of instruction in government schools.
In a historic step, 105 Lower Primary Schools across Goalpara (81 schools) and Kokrajhar (24 schools) will now teach students in the Rabha language.
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The decision was warmly welcomed by Rabha organizations, particularly the Bebak Rabha Kraurang Runchum (BRKR), also known as the Nikhil Rabha Sahitya Sabha, which has long advocated for education in the mother tongue.
Rajkumar Rabha, General Secretary of BRKR, called the announcement a “historic moment” for the Rabha community and expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Education Minister Ranoj Pegu for recognizing the linguistic rights of the Rabha people.
He added that this is just the first phase involving 105 schools and expressed hope that more schools would follow.
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Rajkumar also highlighted that many current teachers in Assamese medium schools already speak Rabha, and the government has committed to appointing dedicated Rabha language teachers to support the new medium.
For years, groups like BRKR and the All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU) have pushed for mother tongue education to preserve the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the Rabha community.
Motilal Rabha, president of ARSU, called this a major milestone, praising the state government’s dedication to protecting linguistic rights and promoting inclusive education.
ARSU General Secretary Subhash Rabha said the initiative is crucial not only for preserving the Rabha language but also for providing a stronger educational foundation for Rabha-speaking children.