Kohima, 26 July (MTNews): The Nagaland government has appealed to the Centre, seeking permission to continue using English as the medium of teaching in schools, instead of mandating mother tongue as directed by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The request comes in light of the linguistic diversity within the state, which poses significant challenges in implementing the NEP guidelines.
Nagaland, known for its rich cultural heritage and diversity, is home to over 20 different languages. The state comprises 17 major Naga tribes, each with its distinct language, and there is no officially declared common language. English serves as the official language, while Nagamese, a lingua franca blending various dialects, is commonly used for daily conversations.
Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, the advisor for school education in Nagaland, emphasized the complexity of implementing NEP 2020 in a state with such linguistic diversity.
He stated that while mother tongue as the medium of instruction may be feasible in rural areas and villages, it becomes challenging, particularly in developing and urban regions, where English has become an integral part of the education system.
“We have 20-plus linguistic categories here while it is much more in the interior areas,” he said.
According to the NEP 2020, the medium of instruction up to class 5, and preferably until class 8 and beyond, should be the mother tongue or local language. Yhome said that faced with the challenge, the Department of School Education has requested the Ministry of Education to be “more flexible with Nagaland” on the medium of instruction.
“We have no option but to teach in English, especially in the urban areas,” he said while expressing optimism that the request would be considered by the Centre.
Yhome was speaking during the inaugural function of a four-day regional workshop on ‘a study of school assessments and examination practices and equivalence of boards’ organized by PARAKH in collaboration with the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE).
Representatives of boards from three states — Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, besides officials of the Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education Sikkim, CISCE and NIOS are participating in the workshop, which began on 24 July and will conclude on July 27.