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  • Category: Education in Kerala

    Place of our Mother tongue in Educational and governmental matters

    Our mother tongue, Malayalam is the worlds 27th language, which is widely spoken by people. More than 3 crores use this language. Yet we had not given much importance to our mother tongue in educational as well as governmental matters. This is too bad. Let us discuss this problem.
  • #1442
    Malayalm has no place in our higher education sector and governmental matters. In all these sections, medium of communication is English. We are avoiding our mother tongue for English. In foreign countries, mother tongue replaces English. They can become doctors or engineers by writing in their mother tongue. Is it possible here?? Studies prove that the countries having mother tongue as the medium, shows higher growth than the countries adopting English. Why we should follow English?? Now many companies look for educational qualifications, but not the communication skills. If we need improvement, we must protect our mother tongue and use it appropriately

  • #1444
    I can understand your feeling but our constitution has been drafted in that way and no body can help it. But importance to local language has to be given and we are the part of federal states. And Thomas you made a very good observation that Countries with mother tongue as medium always shown higher growth than other countries. Thats great. The matter needs to be ponder over.

    K Mohan

    Every drop of water counts... And every word posted here also counts.....

  • #1449
    Any nation's or say State's development is depending upon her Mother Tongue. None can bypass its importance. Our culture is better narrated if it is in Mother Tongue. In Maharashtra, teaching of local language is a must in all educatinal institutions. Why Kerala lags behind ? How many of our Ministers in the present Govt or say Political leaders can speak good, chaste Malayalam for hours together ? Charity begins at home. The need should come from them and it should not be left to the Cultural Ministry alone. There are CBSE Schools in Kerala where students are punished if they happen to speak in Malayalam. The attitude should change. Today in Govt Schools, the students strength have come down drastically and de-recognition of Malayalam language is one of the basic reason for this situation.
    Sreekumar Nair
    Trichur

    "Proud to be an indian"

    NO & YES are two short words, which need a long thought..., most of the things we miss in life are due to saying NO too soon or YES too late. Have a great day.

  • #1460
    I dont say that malayalam should be used everywhere, upto 10th std malayalam should be their for every student ,present situation is students in some schools can choose hindi or sanskrit or french instead of malayalam,this should be avoided and malayalam should be made compulsory for all.

    In government matter we cannot say that malayalam is left behind because in most of the government offices i've gone even the forms there are in malayalam.Even when a NRK(Non resident Keralite) goes to a Panchayat or Taluk office for submitting any papers,they are made to fill many forms in malayalam ,which make te NRKs think about their language Malayalam and the importance of malayalam .

    Importance to English language should be given more because their is development everywhere and when all are developing why should we malayalis be left behind( naadu odmbo naduve odennam ennale pramanam ).I know many malayalis living in foreign countries who only know a bit of english to speak and when it comes to writing for them its almost impossible for them .They dont even know to write a letter in english.

    Importance should be given to both Malayalam and English as we are in the heights of development.

  • #1497
    It is a very bad situation that speaking in malayalam is restricted in many of the CBSE schools and other institutions. According to the curriculum of NCERT, Malayalam is compulsory only upto 8th std and optional upto 10th std. No scope for malayalam in higher classes, since they have no second language. Sadly, many of the students from these institutions, do not know how to read a sentence in malayalam or even write their name!!! And unfortunately some feel proud of this!!! This mentality should be changed and prior importance should be given to the mother tongue.

  • #1838
    Friends,
    You might have seen the Kerala Ministry's decision to make Malayalam compulsory at the school level and the same will be taught as first language. Also the State Government is taking all steps to get the status of a classical language for Malayalam.

    Understanding things through one's mother tongue is far more important and nothing can replace it. Any child if born and grown within Kerala will be familiar with crow (Kakka), but will not be with sheep. So when the child learns "Ba ba black sheep ..." he has to create an image of sheep or look into a picture of it. Whereas if he learns "Kaakke kaakke kootevite........" he understands it very easily and enjoys the beauty of the poem.

    Similar is the case with every subject.If things are explained in the mother tongue, it will get registered in them forever.

    English has to be taught as a second language after fourth standard, so that by the time the students go for higher studies they will be in a position to read and understand subject books in English.

    T.M.Sankaran
    Gold Member, SPK

  • #1841
    Barring the Tamils no other community from the South appears to be interested in fighting for a strong eqation for its mother tongue. I think the decision made by the State Cabinet is going to usher in a better status for Malayalam.
    Let us hope in one field where as of now Malayalam is very much neglected the decision of the Government may bring in a drastic change.At least in the coming years we can see a Malayalam speaking [not Manglish speaking] girls and boys over the various TV programmes if the decision works out in terms of implementation.

  • #1865
    I think this is a widely discussed issue.When the English Medium schools comes in every nook and corner of state our mother tongue will naturally go behind curtain.But the sad effect is that the present students have no capability in English and Malayalam.Just think, we are discussing this serious matter in English !There itself is the wrong thing.So we have to have a local stage to discuss this in our own language and to find the solutions through joint thoughts.


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