Learning in own language

CHT Desk

I feel happy to read books in my mother tongue but in our school only Bangla is used which I don’t understand properly said Tonpaw Mro, a class two student of a local NGO school at remote Cramadi Para under Sadar upazilla of Bandarban district.

Tonpaw along with 34 other Mro children were found studying in their mother tongue at a house in Cramadi Para at an evening with full happiness.

They were chanting different letters, rhymes, and even national anthem in their own language which is absolutely a mesmerizing scene for anyone in remote hill of Bandarban.

Menpoy Mro, 48 who teaches these Mro children in their mother tongue for the last five years without any fee.

“They really enjoy to read in their mother tongue while I feel happy when I find them to learn easily”, Menpoy said.

“Indigenous Mro children don’t understand Bangla properly in their school and if the govt arrange Mro mother tongue-based multi-lingual education in remote hills these children would be more benefitted”, added Menpoy.

“We already distributed around 10,000 indigenous languages books — Chakma, Marma and Kokborok (Tripura) for pre primary, class one and class two students of Bandarban but we have very few skilled teachers to teach them properly said Tabibur Rahman, former Bandarban district primary education officer .

The government should also include other ethnic languages in this initiative, many of which are facing imminent threat of extinction, said Lelung Khumi, a development worker of the district.

“Lusai, Khumi, Pangkua, Kyang and Chak lanuages of the district are facing threat of extinction” said Lelung.

Tong Lok Mro, a class five student of Mro residential school said, “We want to study in our own languages, raise question without any hesitation and overcome language barriers to seek proper knowledge”.

“We hope the government will take necessary initiatives to fulfil our children’s dream ,” said a guardian of remote Cramadi para.

UN estimated that, every 2 weeks, an indigenous language disappears, placing at risk the respective indigenous cultures and knowledge systems.

The report was published in The Daily Star