Call for English as medium for teaching – a response

In a letter published by The Island recently, Mrs. Goolbai Gunasekera, has showered us with pearls of wisdom drawn from her life-long experience as an educator.In The Island of 06 December, 2023, she describes the need for English as a ‘desperate’ need, adding that: “not taught as a second language, but used as an actual medium of instruction!” She says this is necessary if we are to progress and become serious players participating in the English-speaking world.

She describes the great progress of our neighbor India, in the field of computers and ITT and attributes this as due to the medium of instruction being English.A Very Powerful Source of News and Information

I see the wisdom of that when I use the internet to learn the latest developments occurring in the several wars being waged around the world, or when I want to learn about a new subject, in my case, mechatronics: a topic very valuable to any countries’ economy!

I note that film clips in Sinhala are good for amusement, fun, dancing and marketing of Sri Lanka produce, but good technical information in Sinhala is not as abundant as in English.

Information on Food and Health on the Internet For example, a subject dear to all our hearts is what to consume in order to keep healthy. We arrived here on earth without any operating instruction manuals as to what are the best foods to eat, what minerals do we need as we get older, all to keep this human biological marvel in top-top condition? Luckily, I have learned that American doctors and researchers have begun to do some serious research into this matter. It was triggered, of course, by the colossal wave of diabetes now submerging the population of the United States. By opening up these files or film clips on the Internet, we too, can learn about these food matters. American researchers are making short film clips as a result of published research findings on many aspects of health, diet, exercise, our body organs, etc.

They have disposed of many of the old ideas we had since Victorian times! At the same time, they raise other important issues which are related to our well-being.

English is certainly the key to great, useful knowledge, as science progresses on its voyage of discovery in the areas of health. And knowledge is power, they say! (KIP!) In this case, the power to keep healthy, live longer and avoid expensive hospitals as long as possible!

The Descriptive Powers of the Language and its Literature

One eminent commentator tells of the harsh conditions of those unfortunate men press-ganged, and forced to crew the old sailing ships of the sea-going nations. He uses the colourful words ‘rum, the lash and sodomy’ being the lot of those unfortunate sailors so enslaved on those ships sporting the “Jolly Roger”! It is a language rich in colourful ideas, a repository of learning.

The English, being a religious nation (awhile back now) had great writers creating great fiction for entertainment. Charles Dickens wrote many stories, and ran a series on the adventures of the Pickwick club. Mr. Pickwick got into many difficult situations. Oliver Twist awaits the curious adventurer. Conan Doyle wrote his series “Sherlock Holmes” describing in good English, how this great detective solved many mysterious, unfathomable crimes. Other great stories are ‘Kidnapped’ by Rudyard Kipling, ‘Treasure Island’ by RL Stevenson, and the standard yardstick for English: ‘Jayne Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte, and so on.

Do not overlook some wonderful Children’s poetry: the ‘Owl and the Pussycat” by Edward Lear, “You are Old, Father William” by Lewis Carroll and so on. And for adults, ‘What is Life, if Full of Care” by William Henry Davis, all await the adventurous reader of English.

English as a store of knowledge

There are collections of the sayings of Benjamin Franklin, (‘honesty is the best policy’) and the sayings of other world leaders and philosophers enrich the language.

And, no prizes for guessing which famous playwright wrote the line:

“Hell is empty, all the devils are here!” … !

Our own leaders would benefit from the line: “Science is the engine of prosperity.”

There is a real need for English in Sri Lanka, starting with our politicians. English is not simply a language but also a repository of knowledge.

Dear Goolbai, please develop this theme more that you have initiated in the august pages of ‘The Island’!

Priyantha Hettige