Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. ~ Nelson Mandela
We take it as axiomatic that every child should attend school and that every illiterate should be made literate. We take it as axiomatic, too, that the best medium for teaching is the mother tongue of the pupil. Yet all languages, even the so-called primitive ones, are capable of becoming the media of school teaching, some perhaps merely as a bridge to a second language, while others may be used at all levels of education.
It is well known that the best medium for teaching a child is his mother tongue. Psychologically, it is the system of meaningful signs in his mind that form words automatically for expression and understanding. Sociologically, it is a means of identification among the members of the community to which he/she belongs.
In simple terms, vernacular language is a local language commonly spoken by a community. Vernacular medium school are those where the medium of education is a local or native language. The number of vernacular medium schools is decreasing by the day in India. Apart from that a large number of vernacular medium schools are also being converted into English medium schools. But the population living in rural areas generally cannot afford the fees of English medium schools which are privately funded. Vernacular medium schools are not getting the chance to show their worth and therefore the English medium schools are gaining prominence. A number of languages are used by people living in different states of India and this is why there are different types of vernacular medium schools in different states.
Proficiency in the language is essential for further learning. The naturally acquired language is established through interaction with the surrounding environment, without pedagogical intervention andwith minimal activity, or without conscious linguistic reflection.
Vernacular language is important socio-culturally. The use of mother tongue as teaching medium improves cognitive abilities as it is easier for a child to understand a lesson in its mother tongue. This leads to faster learning. It has been found through research that changing the learning medium from mother tongue to a different language makes students insecure and leads to low self-esteem. Students stop liking school, education and teachers.
A literate person is one with knowledge. So, now thequestion is that how to equip citizens with knowledge? The only answer to the above question is that good quality education using a communicative medium which is most familiar to a local person.
A person is not being able to gather knowledge until or unless he/she is not comfortable with the communicative source. And of course, education in one’s vernacular language will surely have the potential to increase the literacy rate not only in India but in other parts of the world.
Education comprises the complete package of wisdom imported to human, not only to increase his/her potential but to help him/her distinguish between right and wrong and confining this knowledge with the chains of particular language is not right. Giving a common platform would result in bringing people from different dialects close to each other.
If our mode of education is confined to vernacular language then our working zone will also limit to specific region. Secondly, it definitely will increase regionalism and badly impact our unity. Therefore, we will increase literacy rate on paper. We will have to strive for quality education, which can help us to nurture more, explore more and compete more and all those will happen only when we impart education to all through a medium which is internationally recognisable.
(Contributed by Mishal Nayak of Class VIII. The essay has been adjudged the best write-up on the topic ‘Education in vernacular language‘)