While there are varied implementation hurdles in trying to make the shift, our education policymakers seem adamant to adopt English as the medium of instruction across government schools in the country. The emphasis on switching to English-medium public education is based on the rationale of creating a uniform education system, which can alleviate the exiting disparities between students educated from private schools that teach in English versus those who remain at a disadvantage due to receiving a public education provided in Urdu. However, there is growing evidence pointing out that adoption of English will not have a favourable effect on improving universal literacy or even the quality of education being provided by government schools.

Pakistan is not the only country struggling with the medium of instruction controversy. Many countries continue teaching their students in former colonial languages, or in a dominant national or international language, which young children do not speak at home. In the case of Pakistan as well, Urdu had been imposed as the preferred language of instruction in government schools around the country, with adhoc use of regional languages, used inconsistently across the four provinces.

The Global Education Campaign has put out a policy brief, “Mother-tongue education: Policy lessons for quality and inclusion”, which estimated that 221 million children across the developing world are enrolled in schools where they are unable to understand the language being used to teach them. An ill-suited language of instruction thus places such children in the undesirable position of struggling to understand the very language being used to educate them about different subjects. Using an inadequate language of instruction discourages many children from enrolling in schools, increases drop-out rates and undermines student learning. More.

See: The Express Tribune

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