Mother tongue & medium of instruction

 Mother tongue and Medium of instruction 

Mother tongue is not just the tongue of the mother, that is the language spoken by a mother.

I used to have some confusion while filling this column in my school records. As my father used to have transfers every year in his job, I used to be shifted to different schools every year! And there was a column to fill in for the school TC (transfer certificate) asking for my mother tongue. 

it was not simple for me to just fill Tamil as my mother tongue though we lived in Tamilnadu state because my parents were originally from Kerala state and their 'mother tongue was Malayalam. so, I remember writing 'Malayalam' in some forms and 'Tamil' in some others. the confusion remained all through my school and college days and whenever the question was asked again. At some point, someone told me that the mother tongue is the language usually spoken by the child's mother at the time of birth. If I applied that yardstick, I am right if I say Tamil or Malayalam as my mother could speak both at that time!

All these are matters for documentation and bureaucracy. 

Now, I have a different understanding of my mother tongue. 

MOTHER TONGUE IS THE LANGUAGE THAT WE FEEL. 

Yes, I realized this on many occasions. 

I studied in Tamil medium from 1st standard to 10th standard in about 9 government schools. I liked the language and I always stood first in the classes and scored top marks for the language Tamil. But, it was official or rather academic. 

When someone from Kerala visited my family or when I saw someone speaking Malayalam, there was some inner joy within me. I don't know what it is. But, I recall it was the language that attracted me. I felt more personal and close when someone spoke Malayalam. Remember, I was still illiterate as far as Malayalam is concerned at that time. Yet something was making it enjoyable and closer. Maybe because IT WAS MY MOTHER's TONGUE?!

Now, talking about the medium of instruction, I recommend language that is universal, simple, and modern. English qualifies these characteristics. But, if you want to add the local favorite in terms of language, culture, traditions, etc. you can add these via history, civics, humanities, art, etc. But, let us not try to teach computer science, physics, chemistry, and accounts in the local language. It kills the purpose and adds to the confusion once the student goes up his studies. 

Geography should remain a science subject. It is not to be considered as arts or spirituality. Please don't add feelings to the boundaries. What needs to be protected are the people and not the map. 

So, use the mother tongue to teach feelings, art, humanity, love, and brotherhood. 

Use official language to teach science. 

Don't mix feeling unnecessary. Let us not call our country 'motherland', based on the physical boundaries of the land. Protection is needed for the people, not for the boundaries set up by us.