240 Pune ZP Teachers to Learn German, French, Spanish, Russian and Japanese

Pune, 29th September 2026: The Pune Zilla Parishad and the Department of Foreign Languages at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have expanded their foreign language education initiative to five languages in its second year, with 240 Zilla Parishad school teachers undergoing online training.

The programme aims to introduce students in Zilla Parishad schools to foreign languages and cultures by first training teachers in the respective languages.

The online training for the 240 teachers began on September 21, 2026. This year, teachers are being trained in German, French, Spanish, Russian and Japanese.

German has the highest number of participants, with 132 teachers, followed by Japanese with 30, French with 28, and Spanish and Russian with 25 teachers each.

The programme has expanded significantly from its first year, when 102 teachers were trained in two foreign languages. The number of teachers has now increased from 102 to 240, while the number of languages has increased from two to five.

180-hour structured language course

Under the initiative, teachers are undergoing a structured 180-hour language course, with emphasis on four key skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking.

After completing the course, teachers are expected to acquire basic skills to understand and participate in everyday conversations in the respective foreign language, read simple texts and write short essays.

Teachers to introduce languages and cultures to students

The initiative follows the Training of Trainers (ToT) model. Teachers who complete the training will introduce students in their respective schools to the basics of the foreign language and its culture.

During the first year, the 102 trained teachers reportedly reached around 50 students each, giving approximately 5,100 students an introduction to foreign languages and cultures.

Officials associated with the initiative said learning foreign languages can help students develop linguistic awareness and communication skills while improving their understanding of different cultures. It also gives students an opportunity to learn about languages, cultures and global contexts beyond their immediate surroundings.

The Pune Zilla Parishad and SPPU said the continuing initiative is intended to expand language education in Zilla Parishad schools and provide students with broader exposure to languages and cultures as part of a more future-oriented education system.