Punjab announces Urdu as medium of instruction at schools from next year
Senate had also passed a resolution allowing candidates to take completive exams in Urdu
ISLAMABAD: Punjab government plans to say goodbye to English at primary school level and introduce national language, Urdu, as medium of instruction from next academic year i.e. March 2020.
This was announced by provincial Chief Minister Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar on Saturday in a social media post.
Buzdar took to Twitter to explain learning in Urdu language would save the time of teachers as well as students as earlier teachers used to translate various topics from English to Urdu.
Much of their time was thus wasted in translation instead of comprehension as the current medium of instruction is English.
As a result, the pupils fail to learn anything new, he added.
Buzdar further revealed that a survey was conducted by school education department of the province in 22 districts of Punjab.
A large number of teachers, parents and students were asked what in their view should be the medium of learning at schools.
Over 85 per cent were of the opinion that Urdu should be medium of instruction instead of English at schools.
So he said that from next March the medium of instruction in primary schools of Punjab will be Urdu. But English will still be taught as a language.
In the past, Pakistan has seen debates over medium of instruction at schools, colleges and university level.
Two months ago, Senate of Pakistan also passed a resolution recommending the candidates appearing for the country’s Central Superior Services (CSS) exams be allowed to attempt questions in Urdu as well.
On May 14, 2019, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Amir Sirajul Haq moved the resolution in the Upper House, demanding that the CSS exams be taken in Urdu.
He said that China, Japan and other countries developed because of the use of their national language in exams. “We can also progress by holding the CSS exams in Urdu,” he opined.
Sirajul Haq said only five per cent of candidates could pass compulsory subjects.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said the CSS exam consisted of six compulsory subjects and 45 optional, and added that all compulsory subjects were taught in English language at universities.
He supported Siraj’s resolution and said the CSS aspirants should be allowed to take their exams in the language of their choice.
Towards the end of the debate, the Senate adopted a resolution with an amendment that Urdu be added as an optional language in the exams alongside English.