Editor,
It is a fact that the Three Language Formula of Kothari Commission, that is Mother Tongue, English and Hindi need not be followed by the State Government as accepted at the national level. Kothari Commission’s recommendation about English teaching can not be dissociated from its preoccupation with the Three Language formula. At the same time, it is not understood how MBOSE accepted Alternative English as MIL and as one of the compulsory Subjects in SSLC.
In Tamilnadu the Government formulated its own that is “Annadurai Two Language Formula, Tamil and English.” Educationists of Tamil Nadu have time and again counseled their people not to forget the mother tongue while giving stress to the English language. In Meghalaya, officially the mother tongue is the medium of instruction at the primary level but the present trend is to adopt English as a medium of instruction from the pre primary level. As a result students are unable to learn any other language except English and very few students opt for MIL. The Board too has conferred the de-facto MIL status to Alternative English. This has already eroded the basic cultural foundation of students under MBOSE.
Let me quote from a recent article of one Sri C Wanniang, a scholar at Greg University, Rome, (ST 14 Feb, 2011, “Khasi in Transition”) where the writer questioned “Is not education only in the English Language at Nursery-Primary levels doing more harm than good?” There are many reasons and excuses for Khasi student to prefer Alternative English to Khasi MIL. It is the same for other linguistic groups under MBOSE. They opt for Alternative English in place of Bengali, Assamese, Nepali, Hindi etc.,
There are no two opinions on the benefits of English as a medium of instruction as introduced at the Secondary Level in 1981 by the Board. English is studied not because of its literary qualities or as a gateway to higher thought but as a meal ticket, and it is India’s lingua franca. At the same time if one is allowed to get away without knowing one’s own language, the responsibility lies with the Board for accepting Alternative English as MIL. The large number of children will be deprived of knowing their own rich literary and cultural heritage and will remain poorer in their thinking capacity.
MBOSE I believe is seized of this issue for a long time now without any final decision. It is necessary for all thinkers to pursue this matter on a priority basis to set right the position of MIL under MBOSE.
Yours etc.,
Dr S K Chattopadhyay
(Former Director, Higher & Technical Edn. Meghalaya)