Medium of Instruction in Schools
Context
Over the years, there has been a raging debate over the need for children to have their mother tongue as the medium of instruction in schools.
What is mother language?
- The mother tongue, home language or the first language means the language which the child is using to connect to the world, to people, to nature, to the environment, and to make sense of everything that’s going on.
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Article 350A provides for facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at primary stage. |
Benefits of mother tongue
- Makes transition to school education smooth and easy
- Enhances a child’s learning and overcome glaring inequities.
- Enhances Cognitive Development
- An appropriate language of learning for the child.
- A child can be taught any number of languages particularly later in life but the medium of learning should be the mother tongue.
- Helps the child to build, grow and develop in every way.
- Reduces Dropout Rates
- Preserves Cultural Heritage
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The National Education Policy 2020 says the home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language wherever possible should be the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8. |
