Medium of Education - in English or Mother language?

People think Students who studied in English Medium has many advantages over those students who studied in their own mother language, because English is a global language and it enhances the rate of employability of a person. I don’t know how far the statement is correct.

I agree the part that learning English enhances our employability rate in this globalized world. But I don’t want people to forget few benefits or advantages of studying or providing education in our own mother language, especially to the growing up children. Education is not learning language, it is not learning speaking English or any other foreign language. The actual purpose of the education, as Swami Vivekananda said, is the manifestation of the perfection already in man. This statement seems very simple, but its meaning is deep and explains the actual purpose of the education. The purpose of education is to provide knowledge and developing wisdom to the individuals. Like water and mineral is to the plants, education is to the human being. A well educated person knows his responsibility towards the society, nature and his surroundings. In different civilization era the mode or system of education might be different but the purpose of education remains the same. It all started with understanding, understanding is like absorbing – plants absorbs water and mineral for growth. like wise young mind must absorb the best things to become a good man. And how well we absorb defines how well we are educated. Language is a medium through which the knowledge is pass to our mind, if it is in some foreign language which we do not understand properly, how much I will able to absorb and understand?

There are more than 100s of English medium schools in Manipur.  Among these only few are considered as good institution, which means teachers are good and explain properly to the students. What about those students who are studying in English medium and teachers do not take regular classes? May be that is the reason of mushrooming tuition culture in Manipur, in-fact taking tuition becomes a necessity in Manipur. Manipuri medium schools are dying and most of the Manipuri medium institutes were already converted to English medium. People think it is a good change, but I doubt on this.

Studying in foreign language also reduces our habit of reading. How students will be motivated to read when they cannot understand what they are reading? This must be the reason why many of us do not read.

In this blog I am not saying English is not important and we should not learn English. In-fact it is very important, we all must know it and encourage others to learn it. But this should not covers the importance of mother language in education, especially to those young minds.