40% of world lack mother tongue education: UNESCO

New Delhi: According to UNESCO's Global Education Monitoring team, 40% of the world's population lacks access to education in their native language or a language they comprehend.

Although countries increasingly recognise the importance of home language, policy implementation remains restricted. Key challenges include inadequate teacher training, scarcity of materials in local languages, and community opposition.

In some low- and middle-income countries, up to 90% of learners lack access to education in their native language. Over 250 million learners are affected, GEM said, recommending multilingual education policies.

According to the report "Languages Matter: Global Guidance on Multilingual Education" by GEM, migration has led to increased mobility, cultural exchange, and demographic shifts, resulting in greater linguistic diversity globally. Consequently, classrooms worldwide are becoming more multilingual, and over 31 million displaced youth struggle with language barriers in education.

Marking the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day, the report celebrates a quarter-century of promoting mother tongues. Its release coincides with India's implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), which advocates multilingual education, although the policy's three-language approach has faced opposition from several states.

"Today 40 percent of people globally lack access to education in the language they speak and understand fluently. In some low- and middle-income countries, this figure rises to 90 percent. More than a quarter of a billion learners are affected," a senior GEM team member told PTI.

"This decade has seen a significant decline in learning levels, particularly in reading and mathematics, due to the widespread impact of technology and the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, the decline has disproportionately affected disadvantaged learners, specifically those facing linguistic barriers," the official stated.

The team's analysis reveals a widening gap between learners who speak the language of instruction at home and those who don't. Between 2010 and 2022, this gap increased from 12% to 18% in reading and from 10% to 15% in mathematics. This trend indicates that learners without proficiency in the language of instruction, often due to historical, migration, or displacement factors, are more vulnerable to learning loss.

Countries face diverse linguistic challenges in education, driven by historical and contemporary factors. Colonialism has imposed languages, perpetuating educational disparities, while countries with high linguistic diversity struggle to implement multilingual programs due to limited resources. Immigration in wealthier countries brings new languages, enriching diversity but posing instructional challenges. To address these issues, countries must provide language support, develop inclusive curricula, and ensure equitable access to quality education. Each country's unique context requires customised policy solutions.

The GEM team recommends context-specific language policies, emphasising curriculum adjustments, teaching materials, and teacher support. In countries with immigrant populations, policies should support bridging language programs, qualified teachers, and inclusive learning environments.

In multilingual contexts, teacher training should ensure proficiency in home and second languages. Teacher deployment should match language fluency, and educators should be trained in culturally responsive pedagogy.

Effective implementation requires strong support systems and training school leaders to foster inclusion, emphasising collaboration between leaders, parents, and the community.

(inputs from PTI)