Thiruvananthapuram: A decision has been made to ensure Class 1 and 2 students acquired the skills to identify and write letters in the alphabet.

The decision was made at a meeting between education department officials and an expert committee on languages last week.

The meeting decided to develop in primary schoolchildren the ability to read and write words and sentences without mistakes. The NCERT will be responsible for ensuring it.

It was also decided at the meeting that efforts should be made to make Malayalam language learning interesting. Students should be encouraged to learn poems by heart to develop a sense of rhythm. Stories and essays should be introduced to make them proficient, besides instilling in them an interest in learning the language.

The meeting further decided to utilise the services of the expert committee members to impart training in proper written Malayalam to those proofreading textbooks.

Committee chairman VP Joy presided over the meeting.