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Children’s first language is the optimal language for literacy and learning throughout primary school – UNESCO
Learning in your mother tongue is the first key to success in school. Research has shown that children’s first language is the optimal language for literacy and learning throughout primary school (UNESCO, 2008a).
Learning in your mother tongue is the first key to success in school.Research has shown that children’s first language is the optimal language for literacy and learning throughout primary school (UNESCO, 2008a). In spite of growing evidence and parent demand, many educational systems in India insist on exclusive use of one or sometimes several privileged languages.
India is country of diverse languages and culture and teaching in foreign language often leads to excluding other languages and with them the children who speak them. 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.
The debate on education in the mother tongue of the student has been unending and multi-dimensional. In India, where the annual education reports have confirmed the regular rates of dropouts in school education all across the country, there have been endless arguments on the pros and cons of educating children in their mother tongue. Thus, a closer look at the ground level scenario in our part of the country thus becomes imperative.
Children of scheduled caste/scheduled tribes and Muslim communities in Rajasthan are the worst affected in cases of school dropouts, a report of a joint survey by district information system for education (DISE) and independent bodies has revealed. The survey report was presented by educationalist Ganesh Nigam at the two-day national consultation on right to education (RTE) organized jointly by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)and Ajit foundation on Saturday.
According to the report, the annual average dropout rate at primary level for the state was at 8.39% in 2013-14 and 18.50% for the Muslim community.
Similarly, the dropout rate was higher in SC and ST communities with 9.57% and 10.04% respectively.
In the upper primary level, Muslim dropouts form the highest average with 20.59% as compared to the state average of 6.03%. SC and ST communities mark steep averages of 7.51% and 7% respectively. Muslim students have the lowest transition rate (from primary to upper primary level of education) with 70.46% as compared to the state average of 88.23%. SC/ST kids have lower transition rates of 87.70% and 81.60% respectively.
The situation is alarming and the drop-out rates of students are increasing year after year. Thus, schools should become more flexible as to accommodate the learning for students in their mother-tongue.
The author, Anoushka Saboo, is a 16-year-old student from Mayo College Girls' School and a Scoonews intern who wishes to someday change the world with her words.