HYDERABAD, Aug 23: Educationists and writers have demanded that the Sindhi language be made compulsory in private schools as per a resolution of the Sindh Assembly. They made this demand at a meeting convened by the Sindhi Adabi Sangat at the Sindh Educational Trust here on Sunday.

The meeting pointed out that throughout the world mother tongue was considered as a natural and effective medium of education. It referred to a Unesco conference of 1951 held in Paris and the 1953 declaration which stated that the most effective medium of education for children was their mother tongue.

It noted that, according to Article 251(3) of the 1973 Constitution, while the status of the national language should be preserved, any provincial assembly could legislate laws and adopt necessary measurers for promotion of provincial languages.

The meeting unanimously resolved that a decision to teach the Sindhi language from class-I to class-XII as compulsory subject should be implemented and the portfolio of education should be transferred to provinces, with no interference from the Centre.

The meeting demanded that a decision of the chairman of the Karachi Board not to examine students of class-XII in the Sindhi language should be rescinded, a Sindhi language commission be appointed and science books for higher secondary level be prepared in Sindhi on the pattern of Urdu.

Those who attended the meeting included Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo, Zaib Nizamani, Dr Shamsuddin Ursani, Nisar Hussaini, Azad Anwar Kandhro, Taj Joyo, Dr Mohammad Ali Manghi, Professor (Dr) Ghulam Mohammad Lakho, Zubair Soomro, Wali Ram Walabh, Qadir Bux Talbani, Khan Mohammad Jarwar, Murtaza Mashori and Maula Bux Kaka.