Importance of Regional Language in Education
Growing up in India, we’ve watched our parents try their best to get us admitted into an English-medium school. Back then, we never thought about the quintessential question: why is education through regional languages looked down upon? It is true that when the British left us in 1947; our leaders decided to follow the Anglo-Saxon culture and accepted their language as the official medium of communication. Ever since then, In India, teaching and learning have largely been in foreign languages whereas Indian regional languages have never got the much deserving importance in the field.
While education has always bridged the gap between the haves and have-nots, the lack of programs in regional languages, especially in higher education, has made it difficult for many to continue with their education. Bringing this saga to an end, the National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP, 2020) has emphasized the use of regional languages for instruction at the primary and higher education levels.
Now the NEP 2020, is just a baby step but it’ll pave the way for diversified education that can offer students a major boost, no matter which language they are studying in. Having said that, let’s take a look at when implemented how can regional language education be a boost and its positive impacts:
Positive Aspects of Higher Education in Regional Language
- Subject-Specific Improvement: Several studies in India and other Asian countries suggest a positive impact on learning outcomes for students using a regional medium rather than the English medium. To highlight, performance of students specifically in science and math, has been found to be better among students studying in their native language compared to English. This is a very good argument to how regional language education can lead to better understanding of concepts.
- Higher Rates of Participation: Studying in the native regional language results in higher attendance, motivation and increased confidence for speaking up among students and improved parental involvement and support in studies due to familiarity with the mother tongue. Looking at a study, poor grasp of English has been tied by many educationists to dropout rates at the premier engineering education institutions as well as poor performance of some students. Hence, with the implementation of regional language all these issues can be pushed aside.
- Additional Benefits for the Less-Advantaged: This is especially relevant for students who are first-generation learners (the first one in their entire family to go to school and receive an education) or the ones coming from rural areas, who may feel intimidated by unfamiliar concepts in an alien language. This will help provide quality teaching to more students and thus increase Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in the overall education sector.
- Promotes Linguistic Diversity: Now this is something which is very important in a country like India, as it will promote the strength, usage, and vibrancy of all Indian languages. This way, private institutions too will be motivated to use Indian regional languages as a medium of instruction and/or even offer bilingual programs. It would also help prevent language-based discrimination.
Indian languages are a sine qua non (absolutely necessary) for educational and cultural development since they strengthen equity in education and will prepare students to live in a local, national and global society utilizing a harmonious blend of Indian languages and English.
Now that we’ve laid down the important points w.r.t the importance of regional languages for studies, allow us to introduce DoubtConnect. Now for those who are new, we’re a doubt solving platform and we help students with their doubt in their regional language. Which means no matter what part of the country you’re from or which language you speak we’ve got your back and we’ll solve all your doubts at the blink of an eye. So what are you waiting for? go and register yourself here and get your first session for free!!
Happy doubt solving…
