School Education In English Medium A Must

(Speech)
Born in a remote village, born in an average family, born with average intelligence, I stand here now with a respectable social status. There were no godfathers, there were no cheatings, there were no miracles. The only reason which makes me stand here is that I got the advantage of English- I was lucky to be sent to an English medium school as my father thought that is the best. Fellow toastmasters and distinguished guests, good evening.

I attribute my success to English medium education in school because I am aware of many individuals who are wonderfully gifted who could not even make it to my level. They could not put across their idea in English effectively. We cannot disagree that India could successfully savor the fruits of globalization as we are better educated in English. But even now the progress is hindered by the teaching of subjects in the vernacular especially the science subjects in schools. Imagine a student is taught in the vernacular. He will be taught the word ‘thricon ‘for triangle in the vernacular. Later, on college education when the medium of instruction becomes English, he will be introduced to the word triangle. Hence now he has to associate with the idea of triangle, the word in the vernacular for triangle and the word triangle itself. Things are simply complicated here. There is no point in learning that specific scientific word in the vernacular. There is huge waste of effort. And from there the children educated in English gets jobs easily and they get the global exposure. Moreover the language of English provides a genuine advantage to the Indians as a common language. As we know, people hate when some other languages are forced on them. But as English has an economic eye this aspect wouldn’t come into play. It really acts as the unifying force in the diversified culture of India.

We know about these advantage English offers.That’s why most of us send our children to English medium schools. But with the adamancy to teach in the vernacular in the state run schools the governments across India is determined to make it difficult for the poor children. But some governments are also determined to make it equally difficult to the rich as well by moving the court to ban English medium schools. How retrograde the thinking is. Local history and local art forms and the like should be taught in the vernacular only but all the subjects with global perspective should be taught in English medium. The major argument the proponents of the vernacular medium raises is that we are getting westernized. If something is good there in the west, what is the problem in imbibing it .Every civilizations have grown in that way. Let me ask those people whether they will avoid a bypass surgery as it was not part of Harappan and Indus valley civilization. We should not be diminutive in thinking like the tribal people who are still hesitant to wear clothes fearing cultural disintegration.

Don’t you want to see people from my economic background and lower to come up to you on equal footing? My father sacrificed many pleasures in life to get me that English medium education. If the government schools taught in English medium, couldn’t that situation be avoided? Well, I do agree that sacrifices make success, but is there a need to make some unreasonable hardships? If we want to see the people around us in good living conditions, we need to put our voice to our governments to impart education in English. Moreover, being the members of the ‘Toastmasters’ which aims to promote speaking abilities particularly in English, we need to be the apostles of this idea to impart education in English. Let’s evangelize this idea by using the best talents we have ,speaking and writing, with all might to open the eyes of the people and hence the governement. Lets us go back to Bengal, let’s go back to Tamil Nad, let’s go back to Bihar or wherever we are from and spread this message. Let the world be known, that the apostles of progress are coming to transform this nation into greater heights.Over to you toastmaster!!

(Project 9 of CC)