In the recent most provocative statement that came from the Chief of the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Dr. Hrushikesh Senapaty heavily rubbish Indian parents' and society's craze for English-medium schools as suicidal, especially for children, in their learning and culture.
To articulate a new concern that educators and policymakers are facing in the growing preference for English-medium education in India, reaction by Dr. Senapaty.
Reports suggest that 26% of the Indian schoolchildren are being taught in English-medium schools, with in some prominent states, it topping nearly 60%. The data shows a rising preference among parents for English-medium schooling with the aspiration for better career prospects for their wards. However, this tendency can be at the discretion of a cultural appeal and cognitive development, and there is a necessity to justify the same by the addition of regional languages."
The researchers also put an ample amount of importance to the fact that the question of the medium of schooling in Indian schools is put into contention and discussion repeatedly over the years as to how it is affecting the future and studying of the students. This tendency is also shifted along by the judgment that being English speaking is providing better career options and in general opening the gates of social mobility. But, as Dr. Senapaty opines, "While English proficiency is undeniably valuable in today's world, neglecting a child's mother tongue can hinder their cognitive development and cultural connection."
A major point emphasized by Dr. Senapaty includes the involvement of a child's cognitive development and also his or her cultural identity. The ability to educate a child in their mother tongue can bring about a lot of ease in grasping things and also retaining them in their memory. This is because children will naturally always catch up with concepts in a language they find comfort in.
Heavy regional languages and cultural studies in classes are normally compromised upon in the wake of emphasis on English-medium education. This is what can make children lose their roots and lessen the rich linguistic diversity in India. Dr. Senapaty says that the bilingual or multilingual model, which combines English with regional languages, would be more balanced and pragmatic in their learning processes.
Many researchers underline Dr. Senapaty's perhaps when they say that a UNESCO report demonstrates that learning outcomes and cognitive development of children is fantastic if the education is based in their mother tongue. As a matter of fact, this report says that the mother tongue helps in absorbing and retaining information to provide the whole bedrock of success even much later on in schooling. The subject coverage was, in fact, several countries, and the number of students was greater than 10,000, which is perhaps even an understatement of the demanding methodology followed by UNESCO in this study.
An article in The Hindu has it on review by educationists that a solid grounding in the mother tongue nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. In the study of multilingualism, it saves one's heritage and also readies the learners for life's flexible living in an integrating world.
Another recent report, however, from Azim Premji University, has also proven that multilingual students performed better in other subjects like mathematics and science than their counterparts undertaking instructions in purely English classrooms. It was based on a longitudinal study that used 5,000 students from different parts of India. As such, it has painted an extensive picture of the advantages that come with multilingual education.
ASER 2023 reveals a more indicative status of schools in India. Enrolment in English-medium schools has gone up, but, at the same time, there is a striking difference between the learning outcome of students enrolled in English-medium schools and those in regional and local language schools. Often, students' learning in regional and local language schools surpasses that of the outright English-text learners in foundational literacy and numeracy skills. The data indicate that through early education in the mother tongue, better foundations for education are laid, and these pave the way for future learning. While it is true that being fluent in English greatly helps in finding success in the global labor market, today the importance of regional languages and cultural orientation is increasingly assuming prominence in a world that has also become flat. Multinational companies look for employees not only well-versed in English but also with in-depth knowledge of local cultures and languages. This dual proficiency will then lead toward better communication, negotiation, and collaboration in diverse international settings.
Dr. Senapaty's speech points to the need for a balanced approach in education in India. He suggests that regional languages must be promoted at par with English. This would enable a student to have a strong foundational base in education but, at the same time, would equally equip him with outer skills needed for a globalized world.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 also states the emphasis to mother-tongue instruction of the students in the early years of education. The policy aims to improve early education by making it more inclusive and culture-based.
As the debate over the medium of instruction rages, every parent, educator, or policy-maker needs to come to terms with the long-term advisability of their choices. Adding to this discussion, Dr. Senapaty touched something elemental in asserting that the future should not be jeopardized by killing the child's childhood and cultural ethos merely for the sake of proficiency in English. The multilingual approach to education could make a lot of difference and in the process create a more inclusive and effective learning environment in India.
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