Push for ‘semi-English’ education in Urdu schools triggers backlash

Mohili Village Urdu Medium School at Sakinaka. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Expressing concerns over the "deteriorating" quality of education in Urdu-medium schools, the Chairman of the Maharashtra State Minority Commission, Pyare Zia Khan, has proposed converting all Urdu schools in the state into semi-English institutions.

Khan suggested teaching Maths and Science in English in all Urdu-medium schools from Std I as well as making Marathi a compulsory subject and providing computers in all Urdu schools, introducing Information Technology education from primary to higher secondary levels, training Urdu-medium teachers in modern teaching methodologies. The Engish proposal has faced strong opposition from various groups, who argue that it interferes with the autonomy of these schools and violates constitutional provisions.

Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Zia Khan at the meeting

Khan recently convened a meeting in Nagpur with intellectuals from the minority community, education representatives, lawyers, and Urdu school teachers to discuss the challenges facing Urdu-medium institutions."Many students in Urdu-medium schools struggle to even write their names correctly, which is a matter of grave concern. Compared to other institutions, these students lag behind in competitive exams, and the number of those pursuing higher education is significantly low," Khan said.

He further pointed out that over 90 per cent of Urdu schools in Maharashtra are in extremely poor condition. "Many schools have hired unqualified teachers, and several irregularities are affecting the education of minority students," he added.

Reactions to proposal

The Akhil Bhartiya Urdu Shikshak Sangh has opposed the conversion of Urdu medium schools into semi-English schools, citing that it will be a great injustice to Urdu medium students.

Sajid Nisar Ahmed, founder, Akhil Bhartiya Urdu Shikshak Sangh (right) Shaikh Taufiq Yunus, an Urdu school teacher

Speaking to mid-day, Akhil Bhartiya Urdu Shikshak Sangh founder Sajid Nisar Ahmed said, "Article 350A of the Constitution of India mandates that states and local authorities provide primary education in the mother tongue for children from linguistic minority groups. The Right to Education Act of 2009 also emphasises that, as far as possible, the medium of instruction should be in the child's mother tongue. Furthermore, Section 29(f) of Chapter V under the Right to Education Act, 2009, explicitly states that 'the medium of instruction shall, as far as practicable, be in the child's mother tongue. In light of this, we strongly oppose any interference in the name of converting our schools."

Shaikh Taufiq Yunus, an Urdu school teacher, said, "There are valid reasons why schools of different mediums exist - it is the result of our hard work and dedication. If they genuinely want to convert our schools, why not engage directly with school management and teachers to understand how we run these institutions and what challenges we face? Has the chairman interacted with students of Urdu-medium schools or their parents to understand their perspective? Instead of making arbitrary decisions, they should provide us with the necessary funds based on our actual needs. Consulting a few so-called experts will not help. We strongly oppose this proposal."

Uzra Shaikh, a former student of an Urdu-medium school in South Mumbai who is now pursuing her graduation, said, "Some may see this as government interference, but even if it is, I believe that if it benefits minority and Muslim students, schools should welcome it with an open mind. I may not be familiar with the legal provisions or constitutional sections, but I do understand that if schools are modernised, both students and teachers will ultimately benefit."