Learning English is important in our times but learning in English is not as important and necessary to acquire a skill. It is a fact that the issue of primary language of instruction costs a huge loss in the creativity and clear thinking of the young generation. We are far behind the other nations because we are forcing our young generation to learn in English. Instead of focusing on ideas and thoughts, we are focusing on medium of communication. The nations like China, Japan and many other European countries progressed in their native language not in English. But we are in the complex of English, and it is not a bright side of our history.
As a general rule a child should not be allowed to learn English as a language until he has made some progress in the primary stages of instruction and has received a thorough grounding in his mother tongue. At this level child needs a clear guideline, and native language is the best medium to facilitate and inspire him for progress.
It is our psyche as a nation that we consider a person well educated and well civilised who can speak a few sentences of English, but we will not consider the person who could not speak English though he may have a great idea and plan.
There is another problem: our school and college level education is available in both the English and Urdu language. But at university level we have only one medium of instruction for all the students. The student who is coming with the background of Urdu as a medium would feel uncomfortable in university. These differences force hundreds of the students to leave their education incomplete.
So learning English is indeed important but learning in English is not. It is time for the educationists to come forward and guide the government to use Urdu as medium of instruction in all the educational institutes of the government.
ZAHID RASHID
Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir
