Kohima, August 8 (MExN): As a result of the news report titled ‘Disturbing Sentences’ in Class IV textbook published by The Morung Express on August 6, Progress Publishers, New Delhi has expressed sincere regret for the two ‘disturbing’ sentences studied by Class IV students in the textbook- “An easy approach to Grammar and Composition.”
A private school in Mon has reportedly been using the textbook for the last 5 years.
In a letter dated August 8, 2020 and addressed to the Chairman of Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE), Asano Sekhose, the publisher of the textbook has informed that ‘both the sentences have been changed in the aforesaid book though they are grammatically correct.’
The two sentences—‘The lady hanged herself from the fan’ and ‘Neena teased me and I slapped her’ have been changed to ‘They went to work early today’ and ‘Hello, Ria! Are you ready for the exam?’ respectively.
“Although we take every care while writing, editing, and printing a book but these two sentences inadvertently crept in somehow. We regret the same,” RP Gupta conveyed in an email and also added that “to avoid any such misinterpretation, we are thoroughly revising the entire series.”
While apologising for the same, the Author/Editor - YPS Chauhan, Retired Senior English Teacher and Head of English Department, Army Public School, New Delhi said, “I revised and edited the English Grammar series of the Progress Publishers at the instance of Shri RP Gupta. Sorry for the two sentences objected to in the personal pronoun chapter.
We have changed both the sentences and will take care that such oversights do not occur in the future. Sincere regrets!”
The letter also highlighted that they have been publishing textbooks since 1976 and “all our books are written according to the prescribed syllabus by the reputed authors and edited by concerned teachers.” “Number of schools are appreciating the grammar series and teaching for the past number of years. No one has raised any complaint regarding the book. We believe that hereafter such sentences will not be used by any media or newspaper,” it added.
