THIS is apropos the letter ‘Single curriculum’ (Sept 1). I agree with the writer. There is no point in asking all English medium schools to switch over to Urdu or the local language of the region as a medium of instruction.

That way, we will surely be jeopardising the output of thousands of English medium schools or the future of hundreds of thousands of students at these schools. If students at English medium schools are not taught English, aggressively, at the basic level, how on earth are they going to achieve the great results in O and A levels that we are already accustomed to? Or would our students be able to proceed for further studies abroad with a weak base in English?

The standard of Urdu medium schools and madressahs should be gradually stepped up, instead of decreasing the already set standard of English medium schools.

In a multi-lingual country like Pakistan, it would be absolutely horrendous to expect student of a particular region to read, study, or receive education in his or her local, mother tongue. Instead of creating uniformity, it will create more distinctions, diversions, differences, and class struggles.

Teaching from grade one to grade 16 should be conducted entirely in English and Urdu for all schools – English medium, Urdu medium and madressahs alike.

The present government has to its credit the fact that it has tried to tinker with the foundations of this country’s education system for the better.

However, expert opinions should be solicited from all sections of the country and from all walks of life before we plunge into the world of both opportunity and uncertainty that is the ‘single national curriculum’.

Pro Bono Publico
Lahore

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2020