A UN report revealed that 40 per cent of the world’s population does not have access to education in a language they speak or understand.According to UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring (GEM) team, this figure rises to a shocking 90 per cent in certain low- and middle-income countries, affecting more than a quarter of a billion learners.Despite growing awareness of the importance of home languages in education, the adoption of multilingual policies remains slow. Challenges such as a lack of trained teachers, insufficient learning materials in native languages, and even resistance from local communities hinder progress, the report stated.The findings are part of a new report, Languages Matter: Global Guidance on Multilingual Education, released to mark the 25th anniversary of International Mother Language Day. It noted, with increasing migration worldwide, classrooms are becoming more linguistically diverse, with over 31 million displaced youth facing language barriers in education.Widening gaps in learning outcomesThe report highlighted that between 2010 and 2022, the gap in reading proficiency between students who speak the language of instruction at home and those who do not, grew from 12 to 18 percentage points, suggesting that learners who do not speak the language of instruction at home, whether for historical reasons or due to migration and displacement, are at a bigger risk of learning loss.”The first thing to note is that over the course of this decade, which has been marked by the pervasive influence of technology in young people’s lives but also by the impact of COVID-19, learning levels have dropped sharply in both reading and mathematics. But the next thing to note is that the impact has been disproportionate on learners who are disadvantaged due to linguistic reasons,” a senior official told PTI.Colonial legacy and migration shaping linguistic challengesThe report categorised language barriers into two broad issues: historical and contemporary. In many countries, colonial-era policies imposed foreign languages in education, marginalising local tongues and deepening inequality. Meanwhile, modern migration patterns have brought new languages into classrooms, particularly in wealthier nations, posing challenges for both teaching and assessment.Governments must take tailored approaches to address these challenges, the report suggested. “In countries with significant immigrant populations, policies should support the development and implementation of effective bridging language programmes, qualified teachers, and support inclusive learning environments that cater to the diverse linguistic needs of all,” it said.Among its key recommendations, the GEM team suggested:Ensuring teachers are proficient in both home and second languages.Deploying educators based on their fluency in the school’s language of instruction.Training early childhood educators to use culturally and linguistically inclusive teaching methods.Strengthening support systems outside schools, including parental engagement and community involvement.The report noted that school leadership also plays a crucial role in fostering inclusion. “Countries should ensure that the selection, recruitment and training of school leaders includes a focus on fostering inclusion in schools, inclusive of multi-lingual students’ needs. School leader professional standards should emphasise the importance of collaboration between leaders and parents and the community to build bridges between linguistic groups,” it stated.The report comes at a time when India is rolling out its National Education Policy (NEP), which advocates multilingual education. However, the country’s three-language formula in schools has faced resistance from some states.
40% people worldwide have no access to education in language they understand: UNESCO
