English is the way to go forward

Yes, the English language should be mandatory in schools despite the aversion of local language enthusiasts in the interest of the poor but talented students of all castes, creeds and religions.

Lone English govt. school is brimming with students. The school in Shivamogga city is in such demand that there is a plan to add eight new classrooms.When government schools across the State are struggling to survive because of poor enrolment of students, one of them in Shivamogga city is seeing such an enviable rush because of English medium instruction.

Government schools imparting  poor quality education-’More than a fourth of rural students opt for private schools for better education including learning English, says Annual State of Education Report by non-profit Pratham study.

There are 220 Million Students in 1.2 Million Schools of India, and 2/3rds of all school going children in 5-15 years of age bracket are enrolled in government schools

Yes, the English should be taught in the govt schools because every student should have that competitive edge. Though I’m not sure whether the government has the willingness or the required resources to do that, it’s already happening in private schools at my native place and other places.

It’s a matter of grave concern that some kannada linguists are opposing the introduction of English in the schools. The Kannada Development Authority has also opposed the move strongly. It is more a kneejerk reaction to express solidarity with Kannada and lack of knowledge of the advantages of English language

The falling rate of enrollment in government schools is because of the preference for English medium even by the poor and down trodden. In his budget speech on July 5, newly elected Karnataka chief minister proposed a pilot project to introduce English as the medium of instruction in government schools.

Recently, state governments in Punjab, UttarPradesh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh - among others - have also mooted the idea of introducing English as the medium of instruction in government schools.  

People from the poorest section of the society feel that English is an avenue for better life and want the government  schools to teach this language to their students from the  beginning, a Group of Secretaries set up by Prime Minister has said in its report. 

The Group has reflected the aspirations of the poor parents who cannot afford to send their wards to private schools which are ‘English medium’ and feel their children are deprived because government schools do not teach English from the beginning level. English should be taught in government schools, as it would provide backward classes, Dalit and tribal students better opportunities.

English Language Teaching and learning has become very complex in India. This is mainly because of the issues, debates and discussions about the position of English language in India.The language is accepted on the surface level but resisted at the cultural and psychological levels. 

Challenges like ideological and political opposition to English language, encouragement of mother tongue based education, poor infrastructure have made teaching English in India difficult.

The significance of English language spread widely in the presentscientific and technological world. -All the research, computer and updated knowledge is in English language. If Indians want to pursue higher education and become leaders of the world has to be proficient in English language. 

Today, in this nation of one billion plus population with a literate population of 74% knowledge of English guarantees a job across the sectors. Be a hairdresser, a bell boy or a waiter, salutations and courtesies in English are considered so essential that often a minimum skill in the language is non-negotiable with recruiters.

It is a well-known fact that English is the most widely used language and the chief vehicle of international communication in the world today. The term Global English ‘is a product of the process called globalization. English, the official language of the entire world. It is a very tricky language to teach.There are four skills of language learning i.e. Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking and to fulfill these skills one has to take constant and arduous efforts until the goal is achieved.

English is, almost certainly, the most important subject that a child can learn in school. A person who does not poses proper English limits his or her ability to achieve their highest potential. By assuming that students will learn proper communication skills without guidance is a big mistake. Individuals should begin learning basic communication skills at birth and continue in the primary and secondary education.

English language has become the lingua franca in the age of globalization. Two-thousand year ago, the English language was quite unknown to the world. Today there are perhaps 1.5 billion people among seven billion, around the world, who use the English language. They speak English or write in English. There are three hundred and fifty million people who use the language as their mother tongue and the rest use it as a Foreign or Second language. It is the only language widely used from China to Peru, Delhi to Cambodia and more scattered than any other language in the world.

There are many challenges in teaching English as a second language or even as a foreign language or additional language.

The challenges that I have found to be among the biggest are the culture of the learners. English language teaching has acquired greater attention and importance as never before in the context of its position as a global language.

As almost all of the higher education courses, especially professional ones, have the medium of instruction as English, it makes complete sense to study in English medium so that you don’t struggle when you join any such course. Otherwise, you will struggle, might feel frustrated, and might be left behind in grades. English is the way to go forward.