Srishti Sangwan

(A Critical view and a personal opinion)

In many countries where English is not the mother tongue — like India, Nigeria, or even parts of Southeast Asia — English is more than just a language. It is a symbol of success, intelligence, and social status. In schools and colleges, especially, English is often treated as a measure of how “smart” a student is.

But here’s a question we don’t ask enough:

Who loses out when English becomes the most powerful language in education?

🧑‍🏫 1. Students Who Don’t Speak English at Home

Many students, especially from rural or tribal areas, grow up speaking rich, beautiful local languages like Bhojpuri, Santali, Tamil, or Marathi. But when they enter classrooms where English is the main medium, they suddenly feel small and inadequate.

They struggle to understand lessons, hesitate to speak up, and often feel embarrassed if their English isn’t “correct.”

Over time, this kills their confidence — not because they aren’t intelligent, but because they aren’t fluent in one specific language.

📚 2. Local Languages and Cultures

When schools and colleges only value English, they quietly send a message that other languages aren’t good enough. Stories, ideas, jokes, and knowledge from our own culture get ignored or forgotten.

Imagine being told that the language your grandmother spoke — the one filled with warmth and wisdom — is somehow less important than English grammar rules. That’s the silent violence of language dominance.

👩‍🏫 3. Teachers Who Aren’t Fluent in English

Let’s be honest: many brilliant teachers, especially in rural areas, have deep knowledge of their subjects but aren’t very fluent in English. They often feel inferior or hesitant to speak, especially when being judged by English-speaking officials or parents.

This creates an unfair situation where fluency in English is seen as more important than teaching skill. And that’s not just sad — it’s dangerous for the quality of education.

🧑‍🎓 4. First-Generation and Rural Learners

Students who are the first in their family to go to college already face a lot of pressure. When the entire system expects them to understand and write in English, it adds another invisible wall between them and success.

These students often drop out quietly, not because they’re not capable, but because they feel lost in a language that was never theirs.

🤯 The Real Problem: English = Intelligence?

In many classrooms, being fluent in English is wrongly seen as a sign of being smart. Students who struggle with English are often assumed to be weak or “less serious.”

But this is not just unfair — it’s completely false.

Fluency in English only shows how much exposure you’ve had to it — not how capable or intelligent you are.

🌱 What Can We Do?

Here are some small but powerful changes we can work towards:

1. Use both English and local languages in the classroom. This helps students learn better and feel respected.

2. Train teachers to handle multilingual classrooms without shame or pressure.

3. Encourage students to think and express ideas in their first language — not just translate them into English.

4. Teach students about language and power — let them understand how language shapes, motivate them to learn English if it is necessary but not in a way where they feel low but in a way where they feel wanted and accepted with their own language too.

🌍 Final Thoughts

Languages are not just tools for communication — they carry identity, dignity, and belonging. When one language is given too much power, others lose space. And when this happens in schools, it affects real people, real dreams, and real futures.

So the next time we praise someone for speaking “good English,” let’s pause and think — Are we celebrating language or silently judging someone else’s worth?

It’s time to make our classrooms places of inclusion, not exclusion — where every language is a window to learning, not a wall.

Thankyou and Happy Reading!