Mother Tongue-based Literacy Programmes: Case Studies of Good ...

Policies on Mother Tongue and Bilingual EducationThe ethnic communities belong to diverse cultures with different languages and identities. Broadlyspeaking, there are three unique linguistic families among the tribes in Bangladesh. These are:i. Tibeto-Burmese: All the tribal people of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and the Garos, Kochs andTiprasii.Austro-Asiatic or Mon-Khmer: Khasis, Santal, Mundas, Mahalisiii. Dravidians: Oroans and PaharisOther tribal groups speak some form of Bengla. The Chakma and Tanchingya, for example, speak alanguage that is a dialect variant of Bangla. The Rajbanshis, Pahari, Kochs and Pathors have lost theiroriginal language, and primarily speak Bangla. In fact, almost all the tribal communities are now bilingual.They have learnt Bangla to communicate with the wider Bangali society, but they continue tospeak in their own language amongst themselves.However, there is no separate language policy in the country. Only sections have been incorporated intothe education policy documents that emphasize the importance of mother tongue in primary education.Sadly, these documents only recognize mother tongues of the larger ethnic groups. Languages of thesmall ethnic minorities have been ignored in the policy documents for a long time. During the Pakistaniregime, Urdu was given the highest priority, and then Bangla. At that time, all students had to learnUrdu from Class-III in the name of unity of the newly established State. In 1952, the first East BengalEducation System Reconstruction Committee (formed in 1949) submitted a report stating that mothertongue would be the only language taught at the primary stage, and that it would also be the mediumof instruction. Two succeeding Education Commission reports, however, said nothing further aboutmother tongue-based instruction.With Bangladesh’s independence, Bangla has taken the place of Urdu and has been given thehighest priority, while English has been emphasized as a necessary language for the world of workand globalization. The first Education Commission after the country’s independence recognized that“language teaching in our schools is defective and unscientific. ………It should be removed soon.……… There is no need of learning other languages except the mother tongue up to Class-V .” Hereagain, there was an allusion to the weaknesses of Bangla-based education for all, though in furtherCommission reports, no follow-up attention was given.The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has never attempted to prepare textbooks in anyother language. Literacy movements, including the TLM (Total Literacy Movement), have only usedBangla as the medium of instruction.Though Government documents have ignored mother tongue-based education for small ethnic groups,Bangladesh has stated its commitment to achieving the goals and targets set internationally during thelast fifteen years. These commitments include improving basic and primary education, providing qualityeducation, ensuring a full cycle of primary education for all children, and achieving gender equity atthe secondary level. Towards this aim, the whole country was brought under the Compulsory PrimaryEducation Act in 1993. Free education, including free textbooks and food for the education programme,have furthermore been introduced to ensure education for all (EFA). Nevertheless, no particular attentionhas been given to the needs of the ethno-linguistic groups in the country for introducing a mothertongue literacy programme for indigenous communities.[ 31 ]