Following the newly-created
issue of implementing English language in classrooms, in general, and the letter
of Mr.Aamir Ghafoor, in particular.
Mr. Aamir, having supported the idea, has laid down the case of who happens to
be in a situation where he finds difficulty in being taught in Urdu in Pakistan
after living in the UK.
This is a genuine case but what if a child returns from Germany, Saudi Arabia or
a non-English speaking country? Then, what course will you suggest to Pakistani
policymakers. This also happens in Karachi Colleges and Universities. Teachers
give lectures only in English Language, that is difficult to understand for
Maximum student that what teacher says/teaches in lecture?
We live in Islamic country, our Mother tongue is Urdu. Why china is popular and
successful in world??? Because they only use their Mother tongue in their
Country. But in Pakistan, there is no respect of Mother Tongue. Maximum people
feel Shameful to speak in Urdu, Sindhi or Saraiki????
Reiterating the reason that English will open the closed doors of development
for Pakistan and will put a full stop to miserable lives of Pakistanis is rather
preposterous because it is not the language that will make the difference but it
is only a commitment in the shape of elimination of corruption, favoritisms,
incompetence and many other known factors from the education sector.
If English is a guarantee for development, then Japan, Germany, China and France
are the exceptions. Either these countries have got a magic wand that did the
trick or something secret to hide or not let developing countries like Pakistan
get to know about their cause of development.
Neither these countries have tried to implement English as the first language,
nor have they abandoned their languages to be pushed backward. Granted that
English has assumed the importance of being the international language and is
the need of the hour, it does not mean that it should be given preference at the
cost of our mother-tongues like Sindhi, Punjabi, Pushto, Balochi and Urdu.
Already these rich languages have been denied their due place in Pakistan except
Urdu which enjoys the status of the national language despite the fact that it
is an alien language for the natives.
One wonders what is the real motive of our policymakers behind implementing
English? Before stirring up any issue, why don’t they examine its subsequent
repercussions? Have they ever given thought that how many students from
Pakistani children have exposure or knowledge of English? I think they hardly
constitute a substantial number to be reckoned with.
Would it be wise to overburden the innocent minds when they are already
grappling with education being imparted in their mother-tongue? Certainly not
but it is confirmed that it will spoil the residual abilities of a child to
learn. Would it not be wise to teach a child in a language which he has been
hearing since perceiving the world around him, remaining in the cosy lap of
his/her mother who keeps on talking to her child in a hope that some day her
child will try to spell the word ‘amaan’ (mother).
In the end, I would only appeal to higher authorities that please don’t play
with such a sensitive department that has already witnessed apathy and
negligence on the part of bureaucrats and illiterate politicians. It needs only
your serious attention and intention, not the tricks that you have played since
the inception of Pakistan.