Two Sillicon Valley schools to introduce Hindi as world language

On the demand of many Indian American families, two government schools in Silicon Valley plan to introduce Hindi as a world language on a pilot basis for the 2024-25 school year.

The Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) Board voted 4-1 on January 17 to launch a pilot program that will see Hindi in the curriculum of Horner Middle School and Irvington High School for the 2024-2025 school year starting in August.

The District “has received many families requesting that we offer a new world language program pathway, Hindi world language (WL), as part of the options for students to access within the school district program,” according to a media release. Much of the interest has come from families and students at Irvington High School and Horner Middle School, it said.

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Currently, FUSD offers Mandarin, Spanish, French and American Sign Language (ASL) courses as World Language options.

Students may take outside courses on the approved private school list.

World languages can fulfill A-G requirements for colleges and universities of which two years of the same language is required and three years of a language is recommended.

The decision to introduce Hindi as an optional subject was welcomed by Indian Americans in Fremont which has one of the highest concentrations of the community in California.

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Indian Americans make 65% of the student population in Horner Middle School and Irvington High Schools. The district has a total of 29 elementary school campuses, five middle school campuses, and five high school campuses.

During the meeting, FUSD board members Vivek Prasad, Sharon Coco, Larry Sweeney, and President Yajing Zhang showed strong support for the proposal, citing the welfare of students as a major factor in their decision, the release stated.

“I look at the demand, and I look at the value that this Hindi offering will produce for the community … for me it’s a no-brainer,” said Trustee Vivek Prasad, endorsing the pilot.

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“If this is successful and if other schools want to offer Hindi, they will be able to in the future… so at this moment in time I’m in favor,” was the response of Trustee Sharon Coco, highlighting her commitment to the student community of FUSD.

“I’m positive that it (pilot) will go to all high schools and all middle schools, and they will embrace it,” stated Trustee Larry Sweeney in support of the proposal.

“Who do we serve?” asked President Yajing Zhang, “Students! And so do we serve the students’ interest if there is huge evident demand for this class?”.