Making English Compulsory at Secondary Schools in Bihar- Chanchal Tiwari

Making English Compulsory at Secondary Schools in Bihar

Education is a means to achieve transformation. It is a process through which the human being is transformed into human resource. According to Whitehead, “The only object of education is the development of complete life”. Thus it involves a continuous process of socialization for adjustment to reality.

A persisting controversy over the priority of values has disturbed the desired balance in educational planning. The various schools of education are emerging in a complex world today. Education is a bi-polar, but today it has become multi-polar. This has added to the complexity of the problem confronting the planners in education. There are so many considerations like mind, matter, individual, society, community, group, nation, and the universe. It is not easy to come with a perfect framework of education which meets all the challenges presented by the different frontiers of life.

Education is a dynamic process and it changes with the prevailing changes in the society and its requirement. The educational system cannot be static for a long time as the whole social and national scenario keeps on changing and the education system has to reflect the changes through its syllabus and curriculum.

Secondary education is the gateway to higher education and it, in turn, is the gateway of employment. Currently, we are living in the era of LPG that is liberalization privatization and globalization. In this era of globalization and privatization, the competition for getting an appropriate job has increased. The world is facing the problem of unemployment.  According to reports of a few states, only 20% to 30% of graduates are being able to get employed in different sectors. The rest 70% to 80% are left with no job. This is the era where only well-deserved people and well-qualified people will get the opportunity of job and to run their livelihood.

What kind of education are we providing to the present generation? What education is meant for them?

English is the language which, now in the present era, is the link language for opening the doors of employment. It is the only language which helps in sharing the available resources.

I am neither supporting any foreign language nor do I want to say that people with the English language can only get a job or can ruin their life. Gold also needs polishing, diamond also needs some shape so that it can be fitted into some ornament. In the same way, people with various abilities and qualities need some extra skills so that their shine can be seen everywhere.

I have very selfish reasons for making English a compulsory subject at secondary level in Bihar. I don’t want to see my bright students behind any other state’s students just because they are facing some kind of disparity from other students. They have been deprived of their early learning stage at which they themselves were unaware of the disadvantages of not learning this particular language. They are not in the position to decide what is good and what is more suitable for them and for their career. The ultimate goal of education for the learners is to move their life smoothly and for this, they will be in need of employment. At that stage, they will understand the need and importance of this language.

Here I want to share some of my views regarding why English should be made compulsory in Bihar at the secondary level.

• ·     The first point which I would like to raise is that we are living in a democratic society and the constitution has given us the right to equality. Is it not unfair that in some part of the country students are compelled to pass in one subject and in other parts mere presence in the exam in the paper will solve their purpose. Is this kind of education system not bringing inequality?
•    The second thing is that, it has been argued several times that as English is not the first language so it is difficult for the learners to acquire and thus passing in the subject has not been made compulsory at secondary level. My question is that then how the same learner become competent to appear at higher secondary level and that too for 150 marks paper (as most of the students are opting for science stream)? Is it not again unfair for the learner?
• ·    This also has been argued for several times that if English would be made compulsory at secondary level it will have a significant impact on the board results. I would like to say that by not making English compulsory at secondary level the impact of which is much more costlier/drastic than having a bad percentage for a few years. In such a situation shouldn’t we choose that impact which is little costlier than the other one?
• ·     The next point which I would like to raise, is that by not making English as compulsory paper aren’t we doubting on the ability, creativity and learning capacity of our learner? If the same learner can do a miracle in other subjects, then how is it possible that they will face difficulty in learning the English language?
• ·       The other point and a very vital point is that in this era of globalization and privatization there is huge number of a private school with a medium of English including all the Kendriya Vidhyalays and Jawahar Navoday Vidhyalays, on the other hand, no state government school’s students of Bihar has this availability of choice. Is it not discrimination on the basis of opportunity? Are we not making the state government school’s student less opportune for their academic education?
• ·     The another important point is that in the market of employment only those would be purchased who are saleable and for becoming saleable it is always very important to have better quality, some attractive features as well as good packaging. The packaging is the first thing which attracts the buyer if the product is new. So for showing the ability and quality, the product must be packaged perfectly itself. English gives that packaging through which the learners who in the near future will search for jobs, can attract the employer and get the job.

Besides the above important things there are a lot of other things which are always said in favor of making English a compulsory subject to pass at secondary level such as:

• ·        English is the gate way of knowledge.
• ·        Most of the good study materials are available in English language.
• ·        English is the link language.
• ·        English is the language of elites.
• ·        Knowledge of English enhances the overall personality etc.

At the end I would like to say that if we are not making English compulsory only on the name of difficulty than the whole life of the learners will become difficult. To live and to lead a happy and satisfied life is itself a difficult task and in front of such challenge where there is no guide, learning English at secondary level with the proper guidance of our skillful, able and competent teachers would be of little difficulty which I am sure that our bright learners would easily handle.

Chanchal Tiwari

Teachers of Bihar District Mentor 
District- Saran