Editorial: Mother Language, A Significant Part of Our Identity

Let's take a moment to reflect on the following questions.

Do you know your mother language/mother tongue.

If so, how many or why not?

Can you and your family members, especially chil­dren, speak their mother language(s) fluently?

The answers to the above questions will determine how important your mother language is to you.

Mother language is defined as the first language we learn at childhood.

Language and Literature programme aims to provide students the opportunity to develop advanced critical reading and thinking skills.

What happens to the identity of the child?

What happens when the child is forced to live in a community of his/her ethnic background?

Do we want to let our children to face the culture shock and discrimination that comes with language barrier?

Are we simply going to let part of our culture die out? Again, what then of our individual identity?

Language is an important tool for communication.

And yet many languages, globally; have been com­pletely wiped out, because of many factors including colonialism, Christianity; migration and supremacy.

During the International Mother Language Day yesterday; Minister for iTaukei Affairs Ifereimi Vasu pleaded to protect our mother language as it played a significant role in traditional knowledge and cul­tural heritage.

"I believe through the power of education it will enable the younger generation to be taught the im­portance of learning and safeguard their mother tongue," he said.

A few schools were notably present in the celebra­tions in Suva yesterday.

The theme for this year's celebration is Multilingual education - a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning.

It begs the question: What of other schools and the programmes aligned with the day's theme?

UNESCO believes in the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity for sustainable societies.

More than that, research shows that education in the mother tongue is a key factor for inclusion and quality learning, and it also improves learning out­comes and academic performance.

"This is crucial, especially in primary school to avoid knowledge gaps and increase the speed of learning and comprehension," it said.

The Fijian Teachers Association and the First Na­tions Fiji Resource Foundation last year pushed for the inclusion of the iTaukei language to be taught in schools.

What has happened to this move?

We applaud vernacular learning such as Hindi and iTaukei in many schools but are we doing enough to promote this aspect of identity?

The same can be said for other minority languages in Fiji. Is it being pushed into the curriculum or are we having to learn more foreign languages other than our own?

More questions than answers but are relevant to en­sure that our children's learning environment is con­ducive to enable them to make informed decisions.

Feedback: ranobab@fijisun.com.fj 

https://poll.app.do/embed/fiji-s-current-inflation-levels-in-2024