NEW DELHI: A recent report by UNESCOโs Global Education Monitoring (GEM) team has revealed that 40% of the global population lacks access to education in a language they understand fluently, a figure that rises to 90% in some low- and middle-income countries.
Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of home languages in education, the report points to limited policy implementation due to insufficient teacher training, inadequate learning materials, and community resistance.
Titled โLanguages Matter: Global Guidance on Multilingual Education,โ the report was released to mark the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, which celebrates efforts to preserve and promote the use of mother tongues.
The report underscores the disproportionate impact of linguistic barriers on disadvantaged learners, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing influence of technology.
โThe first thing to note is that over this decade, which has been marked by the pervasive influence of technology in young peopleโs lives but also by the impact of COVID-19, learning levels have dropped sharply in both reading and mathematics. But the next thing to note is that the impact has been disproportionate on disadvantaged learners due to linguistic reasons,โ A senior GEM official stated.
The growing diversity of classrooms due to migration has made multilingual education a global necessity.
GEM officials highlighted that more than 31 million displaced youth face significant language barriers in education, further compounding the issue.
The report points to widening gaps in academic achievement between students who learn in their native languages and those who do not.
From 2010 to 2022, the disparity in reading scores between these groups grew from 12 to 18 percentage points, while the gap in mathematics widened from 10 to 15 points.
This points to the risk of learning loss faced by students who do not speak the language of instruction at home, whether due to historical reasons or migration.
In India, the introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP), which advocates for multilingual education, has sparked debate.
While the NEP aims to foster linguistic diversity, its three-language policy has faced opposition from certain states.
Dr. Vivek Tripathi, Assistant Professor at Amity School of Social Sciences, Amity University, noted, โColonialism and its lingering mindset have hindered native-language education, creating a cultural inferiority complex. To overcome linguistic barriers in education, we must promote pride in local languages, increase media and cultural representation, and dismantle the colonial mentality.โ
He further explained, โOur native languages are deeply personal and give us an advantage in understanding and expressing complex ideas. A lack of resources and fluency in foreign languages prevents many from reaching their full potential.โ
โThe main challenge is the lack of high-quality educational materials in regional languages, especially for specialized subjects. Teachers also need proper training in both subject matter and regional language teaching methods,โ said Chanvi, an Economics teacher at PPS Kunjpura and PGT Commerce.
UNESCOโs report advocates for context-specific multilingual education policies, curriculum adjustments for language transitions, and teacher training in both home and secondary languages.
It also recommends fostering inclusive learning environments and bridging language programs for immigrant students.
