Read to learn

With the start of the new academic year in July, almost all government schools in the Hindi heartland will introduce English in the school curriculum of their primary sections. Whether school teachers are trained to teach English as a foreign language or whether there are books available at this level, is another matter. But the importance of teaching English has been recognized in the Hindi belt, which was the last bastion of resistance to the introduction of English at the school level. Why this change? And will students now acquire enough proficiency to read newspapers and to supplement their Hindi texts with those in English?

First, the big picture. Close to a billion and a half speak English today; it is the international language that is enough to get you anywhere in the world. Besides, it is the lingo of the internet, which everyone has access to because of the mushrooming of PCOs. It follows from this that English is the language of tourism, airline and hotel bookings, diplomacy, science, commerce and so on.

But all this is not sufficient to explain the burgeoning demand for the learning of English. What has clinched the case for compulsory English in schools, especially in small town India, is a bread-and-butter problem. For every job in the service sector — the only avenue for non-professionals with a simple school-leaving or college degree — knowledge of English is a prime requirement. Job in call centres has become a lucrative career-option since it brings a reasonable amount of money and prestige.

But the bigger question is whether English beyond the rudimentary ‘cat-mat-rat-bat-and-ball’ can be taught in the Hindi belt and whether this would be sufficient to get people jobs.

Yes, and no. If there are trained teachers, some elementary knowledge of English can definitely be imparted. Enough texts are provided by the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages and by some private publishers to ensure a good start; supplementary material is also readily available, not merely as printed matter but also as audio-visual aids. The question ultimately is how serious state education departments are in pushing through English-learning packages; the teachers are there in place to be trained but the spirit should be willing too. Going by past experience, it was the lack of spirit, not funds, that came in the way of a proper implementation of any language programme.

Proficiency in languages comes with repeated usage: language drills, exercises in conversation and of course, wide reading. If state governments can ensure these, even the lower-middle class college-leavers of the Hindi belt would acquire the proficiency for jobs.