Let Punjabi be medium in primary schools: Writers

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 8

As the state government is pondering to introduce English as medium of instructions in around 400 government primary schools, the Punjabi littérateurs have shown their resentment with this 

proposal. 

Expressing their strong opinions against this decision, the writers feel that in the long run it will cause a huge loss to Punjab and Punjabi language than good returns. 

“I am totally against this decision. Children must be taught in Punjabi. It is all right to use internationally-used terms in English, but the studies for children must be in Punjabi,” said a famous Punjabi poet  Surjit Patar. 

He further said: “If English is implemented, it will pose problems for children as they can understand subjects including science thoroughly in their own mother tongue,” he says. “Children can learn any language as they grow, but should not be deprived of learning in their mother tongue during their formative years,” he said. 

Another noted poet, and former president of Punjab Sahit Akademi, Gurbhajan Gill, said changing the medium to English from Punjabi for all the subjects and teaching, in any case, is against rules. In Punjab, the primary medium has to be Punjabi, he said. “No doubt the students of Punjab including those from government schools should be proficient in English, but the language should not be taught at the cost of Punjabi,” he said. 

Moreover, a huge number of students in the government schools have a rural background who are not born and brought up in English-speaking atmospehere, he said. 

“English should be taught as a language.  The government must invest in proper training for English teachers, so that our children can speak fluently. But English, by no means, should be medium of instructions in schools,” he said. 

Litterateurs say that children can learn the best when they wil be taught in their mother tongue. 

“It is a well-known fact that children build their cognitive skills best when they learn and study in the mother tongue, especially in their formative years. But it is strange that such proposals were made. It vividly shows the lack of understanding from decision-makers end,” he said.