MELBOURNE, Australia—The Australian Government is looking to promote Punjabi culture and has given recognition to the Punjabi language in the state of South Australia. Punjabi students from Grades 8 to 12 can now study the language in schools and colleges from the next academic year 2014.
This has been made possible by the remarkable efforts of Sardar Harwinder Singh Garcha (Head South Australian Cultural Association) who said that South Australia is the fourth state in Australia where the Punjabi language has been given recognition following the states of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. He said that the syllabus would be standardized and students from all the states would be provided with similar study material.
The introduction of an additional language would help students gain credits for admission into various Australian universities like University Of Adelaide, University Of South Australia and Flinders University Of Medicine and Dentistry.
The Guru Nanak Sikh Society Association Sarbat Khalsa and South Australia Sikh Society who are promoting Sikhism in Australia have also expressed their appreciation and said that this would help the youth in returning to their roots.
With the recent census being conducted in the year 2011, the Punjabi speaking population in the country is 80.9 percent Sikh, 13.3 percent Hindu and 1.4 percent Muslim. The government is already funding two Punjabi schools in the state of South Australia.
