Why Mother tongue is important for Education?

The choice of the mother tongue as the basic learning instrument helps in thinking clearly and creatively.

Often, a student can apply the skills while writing, reading, and arguing in the second language that s/he learned in the first language more persuasively. Similarly, those who are expert in their mother tongues are able to use their talent effectively.

As a student, I observe that most of my colleagues find it difficult to comprehend the significance of a subject that they do not understand in their mother tongues.  Therefore, it is irrational to use a second language as the medium of learning in the primary level. It is important to learn English or another language but it is crucial to know one’s mother language the best.

A logical reason is that, cognitively, the mother tongue is an integral tool that a child uses to understand the world; his history, and identity.  By applying a second language as the medium of learning, in the long run, he is endangering his identity and culture.

Another compelling fact is that a second language as the medium of learning builds in a natural barrier to progress beyond a certain level, both socially and cognitively. As a matter of fact, a certain number of students are found having gaps in their mother language, along with defects in cognitive development. Consequently, they can not transfer or explain fluently what they gained in a second language in their mother tongues. Therefore, reasonable educational policies should be promoted that will enable maintaining mother languages while facilitating the students to retain their cultures and languages respectively.

My suggestion is that, without mastering it in one’s mother tongue, one can not organize knowledge and experience in a second language; a second language can hold you back from reaching your potential.

Atta Shaad, the legend

Some people die to live, and Atta Shaad is one of them.

February 13 is the day when the eminent poet left us to make us feel who he is, because we were not lucky enough to recognize him when he was among us. He was a universal poetic genius, creatively reflective and deeply concerned with social, historical and political issues faced by his nation. As writing is thought on paper,so is poetry, because it has been written since writing originated. He was born in November 1939 to Lal Khan(the year WWII erupted) at Singani sar village in Kech, Makuran in South Balochistan. It was not certain that one day he would be counted amongst the greatest poets of the Urdu and Balochi language, but he proved this very quickly with a fascinating distinction. In an interview conducted by the noted poet Perveen Shaker he said,

“Poetry was considered something bad in our society; knowing that I write poetry, my colleagues complained to my teacher that 'Atta is a poet.'"

 Talking about when he started writing, he says,

“From the time of school, when I started writing poetry, actually it was in Urdu. But as I came to Quetta, friends told me that I write beautiful poetry in Urdu, and insisted that I should try in Balochi. Then I considered this, and started reading classic Balochi poetry (as I didn’t have enough words to write), which I was fortunate enough to get at the radio office where I was working.”

Hakeem Baloch writes in his book, “Shabia-e-Shaad," “When I say something about him, it seems that I’m conversing with him (Atta). He has left us but he is still living in our thoughts, and it can be easily speculated that he will always exist as long a Baloch exists on this planet earth. Atta has distinctly expressed his pain, anguish and deep inner rage. If we compare him with other poets, just as we know the speech and thought of individuals of a single community or family  differ, if I say his expressive language differs from all Balochi speakers (being a Balochi speaker), I might not be wrong." 

His beautifully composed poetry leaves a lasting impression on the reader.  He says in a Ghazal, 

Man agan darchkay an dey aass mani baladaa..!

Balay pa naptiya koye boscheeth chosh nabeeth

I would like to present my broken English translation of this couplet, 

If I am a tree, set me on fire;

Unthinkable is that a hill burns of lightning.

Some critics say that he was an unstable man; it makes every reader, including myself, wonder whether a mad person can possess such greatly influencing ideas and life- transforming thoughts. His reflectively imaginative poetry is recognized and valued by all Urdu language critics; however, some of the Balochi language critics might not be sound judges of value, or might influenced by some personal rage, likes or dislikes, as the view of criticism is directly related to the critic's own intellectual preoccupation and his philosophy or outlook on life. 

Atta Shad had a different approach toward writing poetry with his experimental intelligence and highly distinguished, unique style. He abandoned all outdated expressions and words both in Urdu and Balochi poetry, and created his own fresh diction and maintained it, drew inspiration from none, neither followed Persianised nor oratorical style. He created his own style. As we know, writing is a deeply personal process full of strangeness and surprises, and no two writers go about it in exactly the same way or style.

He is considered an Urdu poet by almost all of the Urdu literary figures, who know nothing about the richness of his Balochi poetry which is his real treasure trove, as he himself said. Without having read his Balochi poems, it is a blatant mistake to comment on his poetry or personality. Without any doubt, his Balochi poem “Sahkandan” can be compared to any of the classic masterpieces of any age, place, or of any poet. His poetry thus mirrors the imperfections as well as the nobility of the Baloch nature and society. His observations of human nature are so penetrating and tremendously accurate that they can be true for all the times.

In another poem, “Januzaan” (The Widow), which so greatly influenced me that I read it once in a week, is of extreme significance. In it he laments the bad condition and treatment of women in some societies including his own- which is out of Balochi culture as it historically respects a woman and allows her to live her life. The context of the poem is the impending marriage of a girl who is ready;  she sings to her colleagues, mourning the magnitude of their ignorance, and refers to herself as a widow because she is forced to marry another man instead of her beloved. The poet beautifully describes the painful feelings of the bride, how her heart aches and her tears flow. This poem is written as a reflection of Hani and Shay’s tale. These traditional cruelties are common in some Islamic societies where the woman is deprived of her rights. Islam clearly says every man and woman has the right to choose his/her spouse, but still it is rejected by male dominant societies where the woman is forced to live an imposed life against her wishes. 

As literature is the history of a nation, and is the nearest thing to life and a writer's thoughts reflect those of the nation to which he belongs, he is expected to write of that which lies at his own doors: what he thought, felt, knew, lived, and had seen faithfully and sincerely. He is expected to give his best, which Atta Shaad did exceptionally. His poetry represents all the important aspects of the national activity of the time, and he seemed greatly depressed by some unhappy events that occurred in the history of the Baloch nation. His poetry will gain immensely in significance and value if we study it in detail relative to the many facets of life, and do so intellectually and honestly with a little background knowledge. 

Atta Shaad died at Quetta on 13 February, 1997, leaving behind a spacious intellectual vacuum. We must regard the great poet as the creator as well as a creature of his time, be keen to know what the age gave to him, and appreciate open-heartedly what in return he gave to the age.

I do not know what advice he left for his people, but I have read somewhere what Dickens’ last words were:

“Be natural my children. For the writer that is natural has fulfilled all the rules of art.”

The evil of cheating

Cheating during exams has long been a problem at many schools, colleges and universities, and many students quite reasonably confess cheating at least once. We grow up in an environment in which the development of intellect is not considered the most important activity but obtaining a quick A+, diploma or degree is; that’s why cheating has become the “accepted norm” in our society.

There have been no studies conducted to identify the underlying causes of cheating on national level. One must reach the causes, the root of an evil first in order to eliminate it. There are many reasons for cheating: a lack of confidence, a perceived unfairness, a quick A+, fear of failure, and sometimes the attitude of an arrogant professor provides an incentive too.

The most depressing and disappointing factor is that most of the parents and teachers are involved in providing booty during the paper to the students, and the services of a personal ‘hired’ helper. Furthermore, the parents promise a party at the end of the exam if the professional cheating job is done in order to excel. .  Such parents and students think that their individual dishonesty will not affect anyone else, and they think that cheating on the exams is challenging and makes them cooler.

The long term effects of the cheating is that a student will be dependent during his career, and can't do anything beneficial. Sometimes he can't get a job. Keeping this in mind one can conclude that parents are cheating their children, the community and themselves by providing a helper.

This menacing evil can be gotten rid of only through intellectual means; the students must be persuaded to chase excellence and knowledge, at home and at school. However, more importantly, cheating on a paper must be seen as serious cheating because it is misrepresenting one’s knowledge on what is considered the final judge of this knowledge.

Slap victim must get justice

 Originally published in Dawn as a letter

Sindh Assembly candidate and a PPP representative Waheeda Shah’s slapping and punching respectable women polling staff who belong to the respectable profession of teaching clearly reflects what the powerful landlords’ behavior is when dealing the powerless and helpless class. The silence of the humiliated victims, however, showed much dignified they were. 

I wonder why the presiding officer hesitated in issuing her an arrest order at the time as she is authorized by the rules of law. The apparent cause might be either she was not aware of the rules or feared the consequences. Surprisingly, realizing the severity of her offence and the expected punishment, she managed a press conference with a burqa clad lady (confirmed fake by neighbors) presenting to be the presiding officer exonerating her of her disgraceful behavior dismissing it as unintentional and due to some misapprehension. 

She is yet free. An inquiry is ordered to carry out a probe.  The concerned authorities are requested not to the ruthless lady escape. The credibility of the ECP should be ensured and justice should be given to the victims.  

Distancing the distanced Baloch

Originally published in daily times as a letter

It is extremely shocking to see Pakistani authorities engrossed in blaming the Americans in highly acrimonious terms for intervening in what they call their internal affairs. After the tabling a resolution in US Congress, rather than admitting their wrongdoings, i.e. committing human abuses and unjust policies ultimately leading the issue onto the international stage and paying immediate attention, the authorities are compellingly alienating the already distanced Baloch.

 The abominable political acumen of the mainstream leaders seems to be only interested in achieving political gains by exploiting the issue as they could not come up with an immediate initiative yet, which is the need of time. The delay in worsening the already perilous situation; therefore, the authorities should stop their deliberate misconceptions and discriminatory policy of calling the Baloch RAW agents, acclaim the conflict as homegrown, stop the military operation, and seek a workable plan that might be conducive in alleviating Baloch’s growing hatred towards Pakistan.

Karachi, a tempestuous city

Like many of you, a compelling wish of mine brought me to Karachi city to continue my studies. The most enthusing reason is that Karachi was introduced to me as a literary city, richly polite and civilized. But as my observations go, Karachi lacks later two qualities, and is brutally impolite and uncivilized to some extent.  

Understandably, a genuine wish is conceived and constructed in the soul provided me the strength to chase my dream with a real excitement.  But with the passing days a profound sense of rationalistic realization that the real world is different, and varies the world of ears’ and eyes’, completely engulfed the excitement within, and now forcing me to leave the city reluctantly.  

Karachi, it is true, is changing into a tempestuous city losing its status as ‘the city of lights’, mainly because of the prevailing infamous law and order situation. At the present moment large parts of the city are faced with the severe threats of constant violence causing the creation of an upset mind that springs from some psychological abnormality. Besides, such predictions can not be wrong that Karachi will remain ungovernable politically, and full of risks, if the government fails to produce some genuinely prolific plans to tackle the unexpected.

The minds of the people are so divided due to the ghastly situation between worry and wait ─ ‘worry’ about what played a crucial role in turning Karachi into another Beirut, and ‘waiting’ for when normalcy prevails and life returns back to the city. The citizens feel extremely insecure, and are deprived of the unending joys once they enjoyed fairly well.

I need say nothing here, what the government has done to improve the law and order situation because nothing can show better than the results which clearly falsify every claim made the government officials.

The concerned authorities must put their their heads together, and work out a serious and lasting plan as soon as possible to achieve perfect peace without being politically influenced, ensuring the return of the green spring of life in the city.