Are English medium schools a threat to Malayalam medium ones?

This is a pertinent question that is still lingering in the minds of all malayalees. The politicians who are not well versed in English are deadly against English in schools and for them English is definitely posing threat to Malayalam language.

Nevertheless, learning of English is definitely very important for higher education, to communicate with multi-lingual Indians and for venturing abroad for education or business purposes. Almost all computer and internet literature are available in English and the regional language like Malayalam should take decades to attain that might. The only positive aspect of Malayalam is it is our mother tongue and anything said and written in that language is tastier for us. This doesn’t mean than we have to translate all the English scientific terms to Malayalam in school classes as it is practised now and later students are asked to study them in English too. This is a time waste and in schools itself, if medium of instruction is Malayalam, science terms should be taught in English so that a future effort can be avoided to learn the translation.

Among English learned people there exists absolutely no rivalry between English and Malayalam. They love both languages with equal respect avoid situations for a combat between the two. To remain devout to the Malayalam language, one need not have to reject English. It is the desire of the parents to make their children’s life better and that is why they send their children to English medium schools. It is also the responsibility of the parents toimplant in their children a sense of pride in their mother tongue.

The State Government should shun all actions to give supremacy to Malayalam medium schools instead it should definitely establish a brilliant infrastructure of English education in all the schools, but with due emphasis on Malayalam language as well. And all public notices, circulars, advertisements, application forms etc should be in both the languages so that all people could easily understand them. Policy making bodies should be filled not only with Malayalam poets and novelists but with people having English education and scientific knowledge.
Malayalam lovers should remember that Malayalam is only a regional language with local identities and do not have a global appeal. Everyone is free to speak or write any language of his choice in India and by using a specific language; other languages do not lose their appeal. So it would be wrong to presume that English is a threat to any other language.

In fact, English language has its impact throughout the world because many people understand this language. In India there are various languages but each has its own identity and background. So, none of the languages are in any way inferior to the other languages. There is no doubt that English language has created its impact in India but it does not see other languages inferior. According to Gandhiji learning of many languages is a pleasure so we should not be prejudiced with any language.

K A Solaman