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.