Kabul: Seminar on mother tongue as medium of learning

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Via the edling-list:

Seminar on mother tongue as medium of learning

KABUL: Speakers at a seminar, organised in connection with the UNESCOs
International Mother Language Day here on Friday, stressed the need for
implementation of mother tongue as medium of learning. Addressing the
seminar, organised by the Hindara Media and Culture Foundation, writer and
expert Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Shinwari said provision of education to
children in their mother tongue was their right.

It was unfortunate that little had been done in using mother tongue as
medium of instructions, said Shinwari, who believed adoption of alien
language after seven years usually faced children with problems. Mohammad
Seddiq Patman, Deputy Education Minister, told the seminar that the
government was going to launch efforts to provide education to children in
their mother tongue next (Afghan) year (commencing on March 21).

Patman said he was ready to stage peaceful protest demonstrations and
hunger strikes if the demand regarding mother tongue as medium of
instructions was not entertained. He said the issue regarding mother
tongue as medium of instructions had been resolved by the Constitution of
the country and there was no question left. He said the government and
senior officials of the Education Ministry needed help from the people and
schoolteachers to introduce teaching in mother tongue.

Under the plan, Patman said the government would start teaching in mother
tongue in schools in Kabul first and the programme would be extended to
other provinces, where separate schools would be established for this
purpose. Participants of the seminar, through a joint declaration,
demanded of the government to start education in mother languages. A
separate resolution, presented by Professor Nasim Gul Totakhail, said
non-implementation of mother tongue as medium of instruction in schools
was against the international standards.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=108991

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