Need for mother tongue-based education in India: UNESCO report
Says children learn best when schools value, use languages they speak at home
UNESCO has released Bhasha Matters — State of the Education Report for India 2025, calling for stronger implementation of mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) across India’s school system.
“Children learn best when schools value and use the languages they speak at home,” the report states.
India is home to 1,369 languages. The report says that many students continue to be taught in languages they scarcely understand, particularly in tribal, rural and minority-language regions.
The ruling government also emphasises the use of Indian languages in education through policy measures like the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, where states have been encouraged to use the mother tongue or regional language as the medium of instruction at least until Grade 5, and preferably till Grade 8.
However, UNESCO cautions that policy intent must be matched with on-ground capacity, including trained teachers, appropriate learning materials and sustained funding, for these measures to have a lasting impact.
According to UNESCO, “sustained mother-tongue-based instruction strengthens foundational learning, reduces dropout rates and supports learner well-being.”
Early transition to dominant languages continues to disrupt learning, especially for girls in remote areas and children with learning or communication disabilities, the report notes.
The report points to examples where schools and local communities have created learning materials based on local knowledge and oral traditions using languages such as Santali, Gondi, Saora, Kui, Bhili, Khasi and Mizo.
It says these efforts show the value of indigenous knowledge in education, but adds that such initiatives are still limited and not widespread.
On the use of technology, UNESCO says digital tools can help support learning in many languages. However, it warns that tribal and lesser-used languages are still poorly represented on digital platforms, and poor Internet connectivity in many areas limits access for students.
The report ends with 10 key recommendations. These include clearer language policies at the state level, hiring and training teachers who can teach in multiple languages, greater involvement of local communities and dedicated funding.
