<div dir="ltr"><div>
Most regional languages have only been provided lip service in
terms of state support for corpus planning or development of materials
for official or educational purposes
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/Columnist/sabiha-mansoor" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/author_picture/85/sabiha-mansoor-1444687167-1815.jpg" alt="Sabiha Mansoor">
</a>
</div>
<div>
<ul><li>
<span>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/Columnist/sabiha-mansoor" target="_blank">
Sabiha Mansoor </a>
</span>
</li><li>
<span>October 13, 2015</span>
</li><li>
<span>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/13-Oct-2015/language-policy-in-higher-education-i#disqus_thread" target="_blank">
Comment
</a>
</span>
</li></ul>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div style="padding:0px 10px;display:inline-block">
<div><span style="vertical-align:bottom;width:49px;min-height:61px"></span></div>
</div>
<div style="padding:5px 10px 0px 0px;display:inline-block">
</div>
<div style="padding:5px 0px 0px;display:inline-block">
</div>
<br>
<div>
<span><span style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(0,0,0);display:inline-block"><span style="background-image:url("http://w.sharethis.com/images/email_32.png")"></span></span></span>
<span><span style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(0,0,0);display:inline-block"><span style="background-image:url("http://w.sharethis.com/images/linkedin_32.png")"></span></span></span>
<span><span style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(0,0,0);display:inline-block"><span style="background-image:url("http://w.sharethis.com/images/pinterest_32.png")"></span></span></span>
<span><span style="text-decoration:none;color:rgb(0,0,0);display:inline-block"><span style="background-image:url("http://w.sharethis.com/images/sharethis_32.png")"></span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br> <div>
<p>Language planning and policy are inextricably linked to access
to higher education and graduate employment, and viewed as key global
issues in international development. In Pakistan, the language policy
for official and educational purposes is seen by sociolinguists as more
critical for its socio-economic development, as currently it has a large
young population (60 percent) ranging between 16 to 23 years.</p><br>
<p>Pakistan is a multilingual and multicultural country. As such, a
number of factors have to be taken into account while language planning
so as to ensure the successful implementation of a language policy in
official spheres, including education. In terms of status planning, soon
after independence in 1947, the rulers of the newly founded state of
Pakistan selected Urdu as the national official language of Pakistan.
The decision of not including Bengali as the official language, which
was the mother tongue of speakers in East Pakistan, having the largest
population, and developing materials for official and educational use in
Urdu, is considered as one of the key factors in alienating the
Bengalis by creating barriers for them, preventing them from entering
the corridors of power.</p><br>
<p>English, being a legacy of British rulers, was deeply entrenched as a
language in all higher spheres of the government with all official
documentation in English, as well as developed materials in higher
education. As such, an elitist language policy has been in place since
independence where both Urdu (eight percent) and English (one percent)
enjoy the status of majority languages despite being the mother tongues
of a very small population, used for official and educational purposes.
The legacy of the former British rulers of the subcontinent in which the
medium of instruction was English for the upper classes, and vernacular
or regional languages for lower classes has persisted to date, is seen
in the high status of English, and the low status and limited role of
vernacular or regional languages. Recent studies in educational language
planning and policy in education reveal that almost all former British
colonies offer English as a subject or alternate medium of instruction.</p><br>
<p>The Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 and the UNESCO report of 1956
state that regional languages or mother tongue should be used in primary
schooling for cognitive development and mental flexibility as well as
for the maintenance of cultural enrichment. However, due to a highly
centralised policy adopted by Pakistan until recently regional
languages, mainly the mother tongues of different language speaking
communities — Pashto (15 percent), Balochi (3.6 percent), Seraiki (10
percent), Sindhi (15 percent) and Punjabi (44 percent) - though spoken
by a large population, are minority languages and delegated a low
status, used at home with family or friends. Negligible or limited use
is made of the mother tongue for educational purposes even at primary
levels of schooling This is despite the fact that almost all language
speaking communities have high ethno-linguistic vitality amongst their
own speakers except in the case of Punjabi and especially the urban
educated Punjabis, who downgrade their own language and are gradually
shifting to Urdu as their first language.</p><br>
<p>Most regional languages have only been provided lip service in terms
of state support for corpus planning or development of materials for
official or educational purposes. Sindhi is exceptional as it is a
highly developed language and, as per archives in the language census of
1937 in Sindh, Urdu was not even listed as a language. Sindhi has a
strong and rich linguistic heritage; it was recognised as the first
Indo-European language in the subcontinent. Sindhi was used as a medium
of instruction for primary schooling even before independence in 1947.
Corpus planning is vibrant and official, and educational materials are
rapidly being developed by the Sindhi Language Authority. Sindhi is used
as an alternate medium of instruction even at higher levels of
education. All other regional language speakers — with large or small
language speaking communities (4.6 percent), including Gujarati — make
limited use of their languages for official or educational purposes.</p><br>
<p>Recent developments by state organs include the latest injunction by
the Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan regarding implementing the national
official language policy of Pakistan in Punjab by developing materials
and making mandatory the use of Urdu for official purposes. This order
has been welcomed by all segments of civil society. Urdu is a symbol of
our national identity and the country’s lingua franca as well as
considered by language planners as a suitable choice for national
integration.</p><br>
<p>In the past, many efforts were made to provide support to Urdu,
including the setting up of the Urdu Language Authority Board and
generous funds provided by the state to develop materials in Urdu for
official and educational purposes. However, the outcomes have been
disappointing. The Sharif Commission in 1959 gave a period of 10 years
to develop materials in Urdu, so as to replace the medium of instruction
in higher education to Urdu. However, little progress has been made to
implement this policy due to scarcity of materials in Urdu for higher
education attributed to general apathy and lack of efficiency,
especially in translating English materials. Recently, it was reported
that an appeal was made to the honourable CJ by three judges of the
Supreme Court (SC) to add Punjabi to the order of implementing the
language policy of Punjab. This has been seen as a source of relief for
Punjabi pressure groups as Punjabi is the regional language as well as
mother tongue of millions of Punjabi speakers, and enhancing its
official status could be a critical factor in arresting the language
shift of the urban educated Punjabis to Urdu.</p><br>
<br>
<p><b>(To be continued)</b></p><br>
<br>
<p><b>The writer is a freelance columnist and a previous VC at the Lahore College for Women University</b></p> </div>
<div style="width:336px;min-height:280px;margin:30px auto 0px">
<div>
<ins style="display:inline-block;width:336px;min-height:280px"><ins style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;min-height:280px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:336px;background-color:transparent"><ins style="display:block;border:medium none;min-height:280px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:336px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<h3>
More in Opinion </h3>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion" target="_blank">View all</a>
</div>
<div style="margin-left:0px">
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/13-Oct-2015/game-of-thrones" target="_blank">
Game of thrones </a>
<div>
</div>
<p>
Elections are interesting events. They are perhaps the only time when the masses — ... </p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/13-Oct-2015/the-global-fight-against-islamic-state" target="_blank">
The global fight against Islamic State </a>
<div>
</div>
<p>
The fight against the so-called Islamic State (IS) has become a catchphrase in the contemporary ... </p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/13-Oct-2015/the-us-deep-state-s-rethinking" target="_blank">
The US deep state’s rethinking </a>
<div>
</div>
<p>
David Ignatius, an opinion writer for The Washington Post, in a recent treatise, was of the view ... </p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="width:300px;min-height:250px">
<div>
<ins style="display:inline-block;width:300px;min-height:250px"><ins style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;min-height:250px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:300px;background-color:transparent"><ins style="display:block;border:medium none;min-height:250px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:300px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<h3>MOST POPULAR</h3>
</div>
<h5>
<a>Viewed</a>
| <a>Commented</a>
</h5>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/entertainment/10-Oct-2015/huge-asteroid-on-its-way-to-earth" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/digital_images/85/2015-10-10/artist-s-concept-of-a-catastrophic-asteroid-impact-with-the-earth-the-big-dinosaur-extinction-of-1444462068-5839.jpg" alt="Huge asteroid on its way to Earth">
</a>
</div>
<div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/entertainment/10-Oct-2015/huge-asteroid-on-its-way-to-earth" target="_blank">
Huge asteroid on its way to Earth
</a>
</h1>
<span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/13-Oct-2015/the-global-fight-against-islamic-state" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/print_images/85/" alt="The global fight against Islamic State">
</a>
</div>
<div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/13-Oct-2015/the-global-fight-against-islamic-state" target="_blank">
The global fight against Islamic State
</a>
</h1>
<span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/08-Oct-2015/russia-west-divided-on-air-raids-against-is" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/print_images/85/2015-10-08/russia-west-divided-on-air-raids-against-is-1444252869-3691.jpg" alt="Russia, West divided on air raids against IS ">
</a>
</div>
<div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign/08-Oct-2015/russia-west-divided-on-air-raids-against-is" target="_blank">
Russia, West divided on air raids against IS
</a>
</h1>
<span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/09-Oct-2015/indian-writer-captures-funny-fictional-scenario-of-possible-war" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/digital_images/85/2015-10-09/file-photo-of-pakistan-army-soldiers-1444394927-9018.jpg" alt="Indian writer captures funny ‘fictional’ scenario of possible war">
</a>
</div>
<div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/09-Oct-2015/indian-writer-captures-funny-fictional-scenario-of-possible-war" target="_blank">
Indian writer captures funny ‘fictional’ scenario of possible war
</a>
</h1>
<span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/07-Oct-2015/sc-upholds-mumtaz-qadri-s-death-sentencen" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/digital_images/85/2015-10-07/sc-upholds-mumtaz-qadri-s-death-sentencen-1444209663-1163.jpg" alt="SC upholds Mumtaz Qadri’s death sentence">
</a>
</div>
<div>
<h1>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/07-Oct-2015/sc-upholds-mumtaz-qadri-s-death-sentencen" target="_blank">
SC upholds Mumtaz Qadri’s death sentence
</a>
</h1>
<span>
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<h3>RELATED STORIES</h3>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/punjab/04-Oct-2015/students-teachers-urge-education-in-native-language" target="_blank">
Students, teachers urge education in native language </a>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/29-Jul-2015/higher-education-in-scotland" target="_blank">
Higher education in Scotland </a>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/16-Jul-2014/conspiracy-against-higher-education" target="_blank">
Conspiracy against higher education </a>
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border:medium none">
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/01-Nov-2014/internationalisation-of-higher-education" target="_blank">
Internationalisation of higher education </a>
<div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div><div>
<span style="width:0px;min-height:0px;display:block;overflow:hidden">.</span><div>
<a href="https://adclick.g.doubleclick.net/pcs/click?xai=AKAOjssPuZkxUda8hi0Ilr-eOl5HjYoJtbtnnIF4bgOwH6fC5__XpNDOY2wteAEYQxq9URDceAeqvCJ2qZjWeC8vK4imq88UjG_Qac3vuVqe9kmwU98OU7EEzpEX778&sig=Cg0ArKJSzEomaQtoB9mNEAE&urlfix=1&adurl=http://r.turn.com/r/formclick/id/%257Efva1R7cypeTlCbTjSlAHXMxiMiL_NsNcTLMBxQ68tznsslamra6AGy6UCINIJL2rR4S1bYwX6LIudz1v7-_OdlnaugfPLWewfBa4aw0eTMfWLwsy5rcRUg0JhE3fKGRHQMhr_tqlP0pd6sGeQtMal7h2ZFSdS0rvgTaAzcc61l0NBsY3TM1Q4c5mkis0FsTGxIgVEEN1O1kkzFAhL-gZ8ae_syaHJLMivQ5piKo1yITrAZXnu5sIxf-/T___InX5Fn91se0P3iz54JUW0nzFq0wXDzJzLpA2Id3KOs4BH4QIx1sSZ2bleCsIGAaEwjiJF7XSecYLJsWtS7QOM0kRZEQxg-BRCNiFuAWQHfVMO7uKZx-fvrpMAh_QusjOdzLlT-3JuSJvyC-L3GFakU-Y-sOY4e5H4tomgWEe2yqelVHraBFS5RABnYdli8RRmi3CLAHENpJjRRgRrwp19XGC35WAgn5XZpD-UUUCWdvgWlboxa66JI/-a3uzPKNFKx4Xc3Y7C6kBciDue63i-a7Q7s6G4MYGNNmESZirWXWMUVa8pxEdeM6LbbOQ0Z9huFHFf313DLXpvv9sBBDNN0Y6tjTC652jgd2h_JV-EDdeQGT8ihKKsY_GmXJJ74gPwcpOe1VLFumNNVP2YRq3Y_LqyOlUDn7N522hLFmxbWDN_GdSKiK9pu5wlFBmvKPK_1xX5jk-zAiXxMQBhpzLH8__Zc26YR_G3ckTuHD0LjXlDt8Jz/GyvWOVKP3J2RtNROcQ_frvxh-UDmJU4JE5XrCPd9rmtnQ-bHn8aKWeHbLA2GHqu1Ah4XOH_gP278uOyQHDxuIuL_SMYvvvJzlxcO6Rff63J0lxdRRtSYwNaSecj-owxk/url/http://www.kraftmacandcheese.com/Products/Deluxe/original-cheddar%3Futm_source%3D1497676%26utm_medium%3D122735622%26utm_campaign%3D8909018%26utm_content%3D4619801" target="_blank">
<img src="https://s0.2mdn.net/4619801/1-MACUS0002738_300x250_DeluxeBanners_Sherry_OPTIMIZED.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a>
</div><img src="https://s.thebrighttag.com/csx?tp=tu" border="0" height="1" width="1"><img src="https://s.thebrighttag.com/px?site=KSNUeWE&referrer=ad:impression&advertiser_id=4619801&campaign=8909018&creative_id=64671996&ad_type=j&placement_id=122735622&site_id=1497676&user_geo=ct=US&st=NJ&city=14802&dma=6&zp=08033&bw=1&user_id=AMsySZZs2cZo1t1J2XB2YKc9_N0E&adsize=300x250" border="0" height="1" width="1">
</div><img src="http://idsync.rlcdn.com/400066.gif?partner_uid=XvXlWoEGj0Dq" border="0" height="1" width="1"><img src="http://r.turn.com/r/du/id/L21rdC8xL21jaHBpZC85/rnd/P9efx" border="0" height="1" width="1">
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<ul><li>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DailyTimes.Official" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/assets/dailytimes/images/client/icons/facebookLink.jpg" alt="DailyTimes.Official" height="20" width="20">
</a>
</li><li>
<a href="https://twitter.com/DailyTimes_DT" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/assets/dailytimes/images/client/icons/twitterLink.jpg" alt="DailyTimes_DT" height="20" width="20">
</a>
</li><li>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/feeds" target="_blank">
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/assets/dailytimes/images/client/icons/rss.jpg" alt="Rss" height="20" width="20">
</a>
</li><li>
<div><span style="vertical-align:bottom;width:49px;min-height:20px"></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<br></li></ul>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/E-Paper" target="_blank"><span style="text-transform:lowercase">e</span>Paper</a>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/E-Paper/lahore/2015-10-13/page-1" target="_blank">
<div>
<img src="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/epaper_image/160/2015-10-13/Lahore/epaper_img_1444692544.jpg">
</div>
</a>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>Sunday Magazine</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="width:150px;min-height:200px">
<div>
<ins style="width:150px;min-height:200px;display:inline-table;border:0px none;vertical-align:bottom"><ins style="width:150px;min-height:200px;display:block;border:0px none"></ins></ins></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-top:25px">
<div>Aaj Kal</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom:25px">
<div style="width:150px;min-height:260px">
<div>
<ins style="width:150px;min-height:244px;display:inline-table;border:0px none;vertical-align:bottom"><ins style="width:150px;min-height:244px;display:block;border:0px none"></ins></ins></div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul><li>DAILY TIMES</li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/" target="_blank">Home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/E-Paper" target="_blank">ePaper</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/Todays-Paper" target="_blank">Today's Paper</a></li></ul>
<ul><li>MAIN NEWS</li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national" target="_blank">National</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/foreign" target="_blank">Foreign</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/business" target="_blank">Business</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/sport" target="_blank">Sport</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/entertainment" target="_blank">Entertainment</a></li></ul>
<ul><li>NATIONAL NEWS</li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/islamabad" title="Islamabad" target="_blank">Islamabad</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/punjab" title="Punjab" target="_blank">Punjab</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/sindh" title="Sindh" target="_blank">Sindh</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/khyber-pakhtunkhwa" title="Khyber Pakhtunkhwa" target="_blank">Khyber Pakhtunkhwa</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/balochistan" title="Balochistan" target="_blank">Balochistan</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/gilgit-baltistan" title="Gilgit Baltistan" target="_blank">Gilgit Baltistan</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/azad-jammu-kashmir" title="Azad Jammu Kashmir" target="_blank">Azad Jammu & Kashmir</a></li></ul>
<ul><li>OPINION</li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/editorial" target="_blank">Editorial</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion" target="_blank">Opinion</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/letters" target="_blank">Letters</a></li></ul>
<ul><li>MULTIMEDIA</li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/picture-gallery" target="_blank">Picture Of The Day</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/cartoons" target="_blank">Cartoons</a></li></ul>
<ul><li>SOCIAL</li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DailyTimes.Official" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li><li><a href="https://twitter.com/DailyTimes_DT" target="_blank">Twitter</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/feeds" target="_blank">RSS</a></li></ul>
<ul><li>OTHER</li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/about-us.html" target="_blank">About Us</a></li><li><a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/contact-us.html" target="_blank">Contact Us</a></li></ul>
<ul><li> MAGAZINE </li><li><a href="http://sunday.com.pk/" target="_blank"> Sunday Magazine </a></li></ul>
<ul><li> AAJ KAL </li><li><a href="http://aajkal.com.pk/" target="_blank"> Aaj Kal </a></li></ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span>
</span><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div>**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
</div>