C2 — Should mother tongue be medium of instruction?
Our country, India, proudly possesses people from varied different linguistic backgrounds. Back in 1947, languages were one of the major factors which lead to the division of regions in our country. Each state in our country has its own language, which is why the Eighth schedule of our constitution has given recognition to, not one, but 22 languages! On the flip side, language has also been one of the major reasons for causing regional and linguistic conflicts. Certain states feel that a particular language is imposed on them against their will. Many political analysts argue that language is a very vague factor that was considered to divide the country into states, as we have way too many dialects that may go ignored in the process.
In such a chaotic environment, considering mother tongue as a medium to instruct is quite a contentious argument. Today’s India is no more separated by regional boundaries. Citizens migrate to any state in the country, that, at that point of time suits their needs. On the basis of this context, migrants may feel as if they are stripped off their linguistic identity due to the imposition of the mother tongue of that state.Languages were meant to unite people, instead of dividing them into subgroups. Such an imposition may lead to inter-regional conflict.
On the other hand, usage of the mother tongue to instruct, is a safe option as well. Such an imposition will lift away the fog of linguistic confusion. This will also help people regain the pride they have in their mother tongue. It is the glorification of the mother tongue that will bring all the people closer to each other and create some sense of uniformity. If all the gentry starts communicating in their own mother tongues, an unbalanced network of communication will be created which will leave us with no output at all, which is quite important in office sttings. In the education sector as well, UNESCO has found out that, children whose primary language is not the language of instruction in school are more likely to drop out of school or fail in early grades. Some governments, such as in the Philippines, have recently established language-in-education policies that embrace children’s first languages. A compendium of examples produced by UNESCO (2008b) attests to growing interest in promoting mother tongue-based education, and to the wide variety of models, tools, and resources now being developed and piloted to promote learning programs in the mother tongue. Some educators argue that only those countries where the student’s first language is the language of instruction are likely to achieve the goals of Education for All. Research also suggests that engaging marginalized children in school through mother-tongue based, multilingual education (MTB-MLE) is a successful model.
Thus if a mother tongue is made a language of instruction, it must also be ensured that a well equipped transition programme is installed, wherein the child learns a foreign, or a widely accepted language so that she/he is able to cope well in this competitive and globalised world. People should respect their mother tongues, but at the same time, keep in mind common convenience of the public too.
