‘Pinglish’ paradox

THERE is a blight on education in Pakistan. Though commentators bemoan the disparities between public and private education, invoking social privilege as the cause, this applies not just to the less well-off but equally to the affluent.

If we consider the matter objectively, we will see that privilege in this context is really something of a spectre. It is understood to consist in the superior medium of instruction in private educational institutions — namely, English — it being a given that English is the language of the so-called elite.

There is, for instance, much talk about elitist — ‘English-medium’ — schools and universities. With a few notable exceptions, that is a myth. The elite is busy in self-aggrandisement and does not look beyond its nose. It is consequently oblivious to the quality of education it is providing to its young.

It does not seem to be aware of the realities on the ground. It does not, for example, realise that the education its young are receiving is substandard. In particular, it is not awake to the fact that the medium of instruction in ‘elite’ schools and universities is seriously flawed.

The fact is that the medium of instruction in most private educational institutions is not, properly speaking, English at all. On the contrary, it is often a bizarre mix of English and Urdu or, on occasion, only Urdu.

Some would contend that pidgin is today part of our culture.
The reason is that teachers are often pitifully ill equipped as far as English language skills are concerned. Very few are at home in English. Most of them do not come from English-speaking homes. The result is that, when teaching, they tend, more often than not, to lapse into Urdu.

What is equally noteworthy is the fact that English — whether in the context of language or literature — is often taught by those whose own English language skills are deficient. The reason for this is that, in many cases, teachers of English have acquired English as a second language.

This means that what they transmit to their students is often imperfect, or downright incorrect, and, in fact, a form of pidgin. The irony is that such students go on to get good jobs and pass for members of a largely make-believe elite.

Of course, there are those who would contend that pidgin is today part of our culture and that what is commonly known as ‘Pinglish’ has been standardised and is therefore kosher. However, that is to acquiesce in the second-rate and, to that extent, agree to sup with the devil. It is merely to make do where excellence is rightly called for. A question arises: have we, as a nation, then, decided to dispense with excellence in the sphere of education?

It would seem that some form of colonial — or postcolonial — paranoia is responsible for this state of affairs and that some of us still regard English as the language of our former rulers and the ‘brown sahibs’ of the subcontinent and feel that, for this reason alone, English ought to stand marginalised. Macaulay’s infamous ‘minute’ is often cited in this regard.

This may have been justified at an earlier stage in our history but today such thinking merely comes across as retrograde. There is a perfectly plausible counter-argument that can be marshalled in support of such a view.

A nation looking for progress cannot afford to wallow in dated insecurities. English is no longer the language of our rulers but the lingua franca of the day. It is also the language of the sciences and of technology. It is likewise the language in which business is internationally conducted. It is significant that India and Bangladesh are both ahead of us in this regard.

We desperately need better equipped — and qualified — teachers for both private and public educational institutions. The question of the availability of such teachers will doubtless arise. However, that issue can partly be addressed by upgrading the pay scales of teachers across the board.

As far as education in the public sector goes, it is up to the government to ensure that this is amply covered in the national budget. If the country is to progress, it is imperative that we change our priorities. It is not enough to focus on basic literacy or makeshift education. What is crucial is that our young, whether rich or poor, all receive a quality education.

The answer is not, as proposed by one of Pakistan’s iconic leaders, to have a single educational system in the country but to make room for better education all round.

The issue of education is also tied up with the nation’s persistent identity crisis. That has to be resolved before anything else. We have to decide whether we want to be part of a dynamic modernity or wish to stagnate in a perennial time-lag circa ’47.

Author:ADRIAN A. HUSAIN
Source: Dawn