India: What price English education?

[Francis Hult]

Deccan Herald

 

What price English education?

 

Knowledge of English may lead to success today, but what if it comes at the cost of our own languages? Sankara Rajanala writes on the perils of an English only approach.


English medium education is pricey: we all know that. But the price we pay in terms of the damage to, indeed decay of, our national languages is hardly ever realised.

My domestic help proudly tells me that her grandson goes to an English school. It is no wonder that she is happy about it: the elite in our society prefer education in English to mother tongue education. The trickle-down effect ensures that everyone aspires to English education.

 

Full story:

http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jul172008/dheducation2008071679144.asp

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