EdPublica looks into the importance of mother language-based science education in the context of International Mother Language Day on February 21. We believe that the global fabric of linguistic diversity is facing a growing threat with the rapid disappearance of numerous languages over time.

Science is not democratic; it is an elitist activity…an Indian theoretical physicist once said. He means that science is not that democratic, so everyone does not need to learn, only the elite should learn. Does it make sense? All people are touched by science; shouldn’t that be universally understood? Shouldn’t everyone take part in this?

It should, but one big barrier is the language itself. Further democratising science education in the mother tongue will make this difficult topic more accessible to all.

The setting was a typical English-medium school in a rural village in the South Indian state of Kerala. The teacher seemed to be taking classes for 6th or 7th graders. She was reading the book in English without missing a single line. The teacher was very excited. However, the children’s body language did not show much enthusiasm. Many students’ expressions were just filled with a sense that they had heard something. The class was about light or something. The subject of the school visit was different, but I just talked to one or two of the children about what they were learning.

One has nothing to say about the rays of light taught by the teacher. They did not like any questions about what was said in class. A boy named Thomas (name changed) said, ‘Oh, I can’t understand any class in English, bro’.

It was a reality that most subjects taught in English were beyond the comprehension of the students there. Then the question is how to pass the examinations. “It’s a matter of just memorising and writing,” replied one of the boys. It was then that I remembered about the discussions of primary education, especially science education, in indigenous languages. Many children who pass with great marks in subjects including science have no understanding of basic science concepts. Those who are not good at memory are quickly labelled as dumb and will be marginalised in schools. This is not an isolated case but a common ‘phenomenon’ in third-world and developing countries where English is not the main language.

So, the question is: If you don’t understand, how can you learn?

The situation is deplorable if we consider how little practice there is in teaching science concepts in the mother language, particularly concerning children’s daily lives. Language is one of the main reasons why children don’t have a scientific approach to anything when they grow up.

India’s former President and eminent scientist, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, was once interacting with students at Dharampeeth Science College, Nagpur. The incident happened in 2011 or so. He encountered a question about how science learning can be made more creative. This was his answer: For a quick grasp of science-related concepts and greater creativity, teach children science in their mother language.

The same was repeated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2018. The Prime Minister said that children should be taught science in their native languages. But how much the country is still succeeding in that is questionable. It is a relief that the new National Education Policy of India is all in that direction, but the fundamental change needs to come in the mindset of parents and teachers.

What do studies say?

UNESCO’s Global Monitoring Report (GMR) published a landmark study five years ago. It was released on February 21, International Mother Language Day. The study pointed out that providing primary education in a language other than their own can significantly affect the learning process of children.

French is the main language in many West African schools. It is an unfamiliar language to its children. “Naturally, their learning becomes difficult on many levels,” states UNESCO’s policy paper.

As the then UNESCO GMR Director Aaron Benavot told this writer regarding the report, “40 percent of the world’s population does not have access to education in a language they speak or understand. Studying in a non-spoken language regularly sets a student back academically. It affects children from low-income families very deeply.”

UNESCO’s report points out that if children understand the medium of learning, their learning will improve. French is the main language in many West African schools. It is an unfamiliar language to its children. “Naturally, their learning becomes difficult on many levels,” states UNESCO’s policy paper. “Language and ethnicity can combine to produce complex patterns of compounded disadvantage. In Peru, the difference in test scores between indigenous and non-indigenous children in grade 2 is sizeable and increasing.”

Why the bilingual model matters

UNESCO states that children have reached better standards in countries where bilingual programmes have been implemented in the education system. By making learning in their mother tongue possible, children can score better in all subjects. Experts such as Aaron Benavot point to Guatemalan and Ethiopian case studies as proof of this. UNESCO studies say that promoting bilingual education is the best way, even if it is a bit expensive. A bilingual education programme with an emphasis on the mother tongue can make a big difference, although it will create complications in matters including teacher recruitment.

At the same time, just because the study is in the mother language does not necessarily mean that the children will have better scientific aptitude. On the other hand, if science is taught in the mother tongue, the chances of gaining expertise in science are very high. This is mentioned in the new education policy of India. The National Education Policy calls for the use of the local language as the medium of study up to grade 5.

Moreover, such a change is essential for the democratisation of science. Celebrated Indian physicist C V Raman once said that science should be taught in the mother tongue if science is not to be confined to the activities of the elite. Science should be accessible to all. Every human life is related to science. If they want to understand it, science must come to them in a language they know.

Our transition must be to schools that teach science in the language that children speak, beyond mere theories, and relate them to their lives on a practical level. Studies have shown that children become more empowered and confident when they learn in their own language. Because the mother tongue is also related to each person’s sense of identity.

Mother Language Day 2024

UNESCO has put forward a theme for International Mother Language Day celebration 2024 – “Multilingual education is a pillar of intergenerational learning”. Currently, 763 million adults lack basic literacy abilities, and 250 million children and young people do not attend school. UNESCO states that multilingual education is a key component of quality learning, and mother tongue education supports learning, literacy and the acquisition of additional languages.