Language Policy of Pakistan

1. A Critical Review of
Language Policy of Pakistan
In Perspective of:
• Agendas
• Medium of Instruction in Education and
• Attitudes of Teachers and Students Regarding the Use of
Other Languages

2. PRESENTED TO
Ms. Amna Hyder
By
Sara Niazi
&
Fatima Mansur

3. An Intro
• Pakistan is a multilingual and multiethnic country
with six major and over 57 small languages.
• However, the languages of the domains of
power—government, corporate sector, media,
and education etc.—are Urdu and English
(Rahman, 1996).

4. • Urdu, is spoken by just 7% of the
population, is the national language
• English is the official language.
• The small languages are under
tremendous pressure, some of which
have become extinct, while others are
about to extinct because of the state’s
favoring Urdu and English at the expense
of others.

5. SOME FACTS ABOUT ENGLISH IN
PAKISTAN
• According to Wikipedia 49% of the population of
Pakistan can speak in “some form of English”.
• There are no confirm figures of what percentage of
people can speak English fluently in the recent
census.
• However the previous census reports show that in
1961, 2.7% of the population could speak English,
according to the census of 81 this figure raised to
19.56% and later dropped again upto 3-4 percent.
(http://www.usefoundation.org/view/803)

6. Numbers of speakers of larger languages
Language 2008 est. 1998 census Areas of Predominance
1 Punjabi 76,367,360 44.17% 58,433,431 44.15% Punjab
2 Pashto 26,692,890 15.44% 20,408,621 15.42% Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
3 Sindhi 24,410,910 14.12% 18,661,571 14.10% Sindh
4 Saraiki 18,019,610 10.42% 13,936,594 10.53% Southern Punjab
5 Urdu 13,120,540 7.59% 10,019,576 7.57% Karachi
6 Balochi 6,204,540 3.59% 4,724,871 3.57% Balochistan

7. Language Policy of Pakistan
• Rehman (2003) briefly explains how the
language policy was formed in Pakistan
initially in 1947 and how it has been
revised over the course of history.
• Urdu being the lingua franca between all
the provinces is spoken by only 7% of the
whole population of Pakistan 190
million.

8. Language Policy
• The Policy about Urdu:
According to the constitution of Pakistan Urdu is the
national language of the country and
‘arrangements shall be made for its being used for
official and other purposes within fifteen years’
from 1973 when the constitution was made (Article
251 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan).

9. • The Policy about English:
English was supposed to continue as the official
language of Pakistan till such time that the
national language (s) replaced it. However, this date
came and went by as many other dates
before it and English is as firmly entrenched in the
domains of power in Pakistan as it was in
1947. The major reason for this is that this is the stated
but not the real policy of the ruling elite in
Pakistan. (Rehman, 2003)

10. • The Policies about Indigenous languages of Pak:
According to the constitution ‘Without prejudice to
the National language, a Provincial Assembly may by
law prescribe measures for the teaching, promotion
and use of a provincial language in addition to the
national language’ (Article 251). However, the only
provincial language which is used in education as
well as in the lower administration and judiciary is
Sindhi.
(Rahman, 2003)

11. Research Methodology
• Research Design:
 Mixed method (qualitative & quantitative) approach.
 This study was conducted through cross-sectional survey as data was
collected from different sections of the population at once.
• Population:
In this study, the researchers were interested in collecting information from
teachers and students of Lahore city in order to evaluate the language in education
policy and medium of instruction policy in Pakistan.
• Sample:
Target sample was twenty teachers and twenty students from the private sector.
• Data Collection:
Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 teachers and 20
students. The interviews were transcribed and read in full detail. Using inductive
approach, emergent themes were marked.

12. Key issue:
Critique of Pakistan’s
Language Policy
Research Paradigm:
Qualitative and
Quantitative
Data collection:
Semi structured interviews
followed by a close ended
Likert scale questionnaire
Data analysis:
Quantitative
interpretations
of responses on
a close ended
questionnaire
Calculation of
percentages
through
responses of
the
questionnaire
Data analysis:
Qualitative
interpretation
of transcribed
interviews.
Emergent
themes
extracted
Discussion and
analysis
Recommendations
and conclusion

13. Discussion and Analysis
By
Fatima Mansur

14. Themes that emerged as a result of
the interviews and questionnaires.
• English the favoured medium of
instruction, yet it is not without its
problems.
• Lack of spoken English language
proficiency on part of both teachers and
students further aggravates the problem.

15. • General sense of dissatisfaction amongst
the teachers and students on the quality
of textbooks and curriculum.
• Divergent views amongst teachers and
students regarding the use of regional
languages.

16. Discussion:

17. History of language policy in Pakistan:
• During the British rule English language was
promoted ,so that linguistic dominance of few
could be gained over the majority.
• After independence, Pakistan’s Ministry of
Education following the footsteps of British
colonialism and carried forth the so far practiced
inequitable and undemocratic education system
in the country.
Rahman (1996)

18. .
Language in education policy of
Pakistan

19. English in Pakistan has a advantaged
status primarily because:
• It is also used for interpersonal
communication by educated people.
• Interviews for public and private jobs are
also taken in English.
• English is a language of court used by
judges and lawyers (Khalique, 2006).

20. • It provides ‘a code which symbolises
modernisation and elitism’ for educated
Pakistanis (Kachru, 1992, p.58).
• For most urban elites in Pakistan, English is
used as a mark of class identity (Rahman,
1996).

21. Lapses in the language in education
policy:
• Inadequate curriculum and textbooks
• Lack of finances and physical resources
• Disparity between the medium of education
and language spoken at home
• Lack of English language proficiency in the
teachers
• Inappropriate teaching methodologies.

22. Larger agendas in the language in
education policy.
• Pakistan is a multi-lingual country and
therefore, Urdu and English have been given
their due importance in the language in
education policy of Pakistan so as to save the
country from weakening or disintegrating the
state along ethnic lines.

23. • However, one school of thought is of the
opinion that the privileged position of English
and Urdu can also be described in terms of
cultural imperialism which has been
unconsciously been accepted by the people of
Pakistan

24. • State agendas have been implemented
through opinion-moulding texts.
• Agendas of the Pakistani ruling elite
have been maintained through a class-
based system of schooling.

25. Medium of instruction policy:
• Medium of instruction policy is officially
English but it could never be fully
implemented.
• Primary reason being the lack of English
spoken proficiency amongst the students
and teachers.

26. Attitudes of teachers and students
regarding the use of English:
• Both teachers and students favour English
language as a medium of education as it
denotes upward mobility and progress.
• However, the limited proficiency of teachers
and students hampers adequate acquisition
and usage of the language.

27. Attitudes of students and teachers
regarding Urdu.
• Students in Pakistan who are not proficient in
English language find solace by expressing
themselves in Urdu.
• Teachers are of the view that at times when
students are unable to understand a certain
information in English ,they have to often
revert to Urdu so as to make concepts clear.

28. • However, Urdu as a subject is generally not
given much importance in schools .
• This has been transferred into the society
which now treats Urdu as something
redundant.

29. Attitudes regarding the role of regional
languages :
• Conflicting attitudes prevalent amongst
teachers and students in regards to the usage
of regional languages.
• Some students accord a low status to regional
languages while others believe they should be
promoted because they promote our culture
and traditions.

30. Conclusion:
• Devising an effective language and education
policy in the context of Pakistan has always
been tricky business due to multilingualism,
multiculturalism and multiethnicity .
• The English medium of instruction is an
important component of the language in
education policy of Pakistan. However, it could
never be fully implemented .

31. • The fact that students are more comfortable
speaking in Urdu and have greater command over
this language lessens their ability to comprehend
written and spoken texts in English .
• The policy design based on the interest of a
certain elite class in Pakistan who prioritize their
own interests rather than considering the local
and global needs of public for learning English.

32. Recomendations:
• The language policy should be effectively
translated into practice and this needs to be
done by making policy decisions visible,
transparent, and accessible.
• The curriculum being used in schools needs to
be revised keeping in view the needs and
interest of Pakistani students.
• Teachers and educationists should be made
part of the policy planning.