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VERNACULAR, MOTHER-TONGUE OR LANGUAGE CHAUVINISM?
Why Goa needs to re-look at primary education in English too
By Cypriano Lopes
Mobile: 9890946542
Goans were well known for their English language skills, and were once
most sought after in India and abroad. They have excelled in jobs and
services. That is how way back in the good old days too, Goans could
earn their living in Bombay, East Africa, U.K. and Gulf countries. Job
opportunities were hard to come by for them in their native land. The
only option left was migration to avoid starvation at home. That is why
you find Goans scattered all over the world.
These were ordinary Goans, who by their sheer hard work,
devotion to duty and honesty, coupled with their mastery
over the English language, were able to carve a niche for
themselves in diverse fields. The end result was, the
economic uplift of their brethren at home. With one earning
member abroad, entire Goan families could eke out a decent
living, and at times, even live in style.
Missionaries played a vital role in English education in India. Jesuit
run schools and colleges were the most sought after. Admission to these
institutions meant a sure ticket to success. India's most successful
politicians and bureaucrats owe their upward mobility in society to the
Jesuit run institutions.
In Goa itself, the Diocesan and Archdiocesan schools contributed
immensely to the emancipation of the masses. The less privileged common
people were able to educate their children, as these schools were
established in every village and town. Children of the
socio-economically backward classes were thus able to brush shoulders
with their peers, who were well off economically and educated in the
best of schools in India and abroad.
Alas, the dreams of the economically weaker sections of society were
shattered in 1990. The High Court order forced the private primary
schools to pay the same pay scales as the government schools. When the
private primary schools approached the government for grants, the
government was willing to give grants only to vernacular medium primary
schools, and the same were denied to English-language medium primary
schools. The Diocesan and Archdiocesan schools who were pioneers of
English medium education, without giving a second thought overnight
switched over to Konkani medium to avail of grants.
CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS: The catastrophic effects, of the switch over to
Konkani medium, are for every one to see. The entire education system
has turned topsy-turvy. The haves prefer to send their wards to the
mushrooming English-medium primary schools. Whereas the have-nots, have
no other option other than to educate their children in the vernacular
medium schools run by the Church.
In Goa, the Church runs schools that have their pre-primary
nurseries in English. Then the child is made to switch over
to Konkani at the primary level and then again it is English
medium at the secondary level, higher secondary and college
level.
Why are the children made to pay for the follies of someone else? Why
is Konkani medium sandwiched between pre-primary and secondary level?
What is the logic behind this irrational and illogical education
system? In the bargain, the child is burdened with shifting of medium.
What for? Is it to satisfy the false egos of a few language
protagonists?
Why are the poor parents not given a choice to choose what is best for
their children? What sort of future generations are we trying to
produce with more and more emphasis on vernacular medium of instruction
instead of science and maths?
In this age of globalization, where comparative costs
determine the economic health of a nation, the need of
the hour is to build human resource base of technically
sound, efficient and result oriented individuals. We
have to invest in education that lays more stress on
research and development. Because it is from here that
cutting edge technologies evolve and economies grow
by leaps and bounds.
Why are we wasting the child's time and skills in changing medium of
instruction and hamper their intellectual growth? Years after the
vernacular medium policy was introduced in Goa, wards of economically
backward communities continue to suffer. The English-advantage they
enjoyed, has vanished and students who otherwise scored well in English
fail miserably in SSC and HSSC exams, or the secondary and
higher-secondary exams.
The economic health of these marginalized sections of society is
pathetic. They are left with no choice but to seek low paid jobs in Goa
and elsewhere. They are exploited to the hilt wherever they go. They
face economic oppression worse than their fore fathers faced, in
pre-independent India.
What role can the Church in Goa play to ameliorate the sufferings of
these oppressed classes? It can either be proactive and switch over to
English medium with Konkani as a subject from the first to tenth
standard. Or, maintain an indifferent silence on the issue.
In our neighbouring states, English medium schools are found in most of
the villages. These schools are run without government grants. The
local Church also runs some of these schools. Why only in Goa is the
Church so adamant to run its schools exclusively in Konkani medium?
Is it for the love of Konkani? Surely not. Otherwise they
should have run Konkani medium schools already prior to 1990.
The Church runs Konkani medium schools only to get government
grants. Otherwise why does it run its pre-primary schools
exclusively in English medium? If the Church seriously
believes that education in mother tongue is the best
educational policy, then why does it not run a single
middle or secondary school in Konkani medium?
Fortunately.w in Goa we currently have a chief minister who is open to
funding English medium education at the primary level. He has time and
again emphasized that the present system is obsolete and redundant, and
needs change. Unfortunately no one has taken up the issue with the CM,
who is more pragmatic, realistic and a man of vision.
Language chauvinism has ruined the Goan society. The over emphasis on
vernacular tongues has hampered our mental abilities to think beyond
scripts. For how long will we hold our future generations to ransom?
Can we compete with other states that produce IAS (Indian
Administrative Services), IFS (Indian Foreign Services) and other
allied service cadres by the hundreds?
The need of the hour is economic growth and development.
English education can fuel that change. It can act as a
catalyst to boost the growth engines in the service and
allied sectors.
Day by day the private English medium schools are increasing in Goa
with consequent commercialization of education. As a result Diocesan
schools are losing students. In the near future, these schools will
have only the physical structure and not sufficient students. This
might force the authorities to close down their schools. If such a
thing happens the very mission of the Church will be defeated.
The Church that once prided itself in quality education to the poor,
cannot remain a silent spectator. It has its own responsibilities and
obligations towards the impoverished sections of society. It can once
again decide boldly and change the face of Goa's education scenario.
It is time for introspection and change for the better. From reliable
sources this author has come to know that some religious congregations
would like to change the medium of instruction to English in the
primary schools they run. English medium primary education is the
crying need of the hour. Let at least for now parents be given an
opportunity to choose what is best for their child's future. Because
only the parents can make the best choice for their child and no one
else, howsoever high we may stand.
Since the topic is of such importance, it calls for reactions from
educationists, parents, teachers, managements, and those who have
completed their schooling in Konkani medium primary schools and are now
in college. (ENDS)
The writer is based in Goa.
