TKK insists on preserving mother tongue

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 26 (EMN): The annual seminar of Tenyidie Kephrünuoko Krotho (TKK) held its annual seminar on September 25 at Angamimiapfü Mechü Krotho Ki in Kohima on the theme “Die U Kelhoubo-u” (Language Our Identity).

Speaking on the theme, Vilhoukhoü Solo from URA Academy laid emphasis on the growth and preservation of Tenyidie, the common language of Tenyimia. She expressed concern that many students were becoming ignorant of their mother tongue and common language while communicating, reading, writing and studying in schools and colleges with the medium of English.

At the same time, Solo also pointed out how children are replacing their local dialects or common language with Nagamese and other dialects at home or outside as parents continue to ignore the consequences of the issue. She, therefore, cautioned about the risks of losing their rich culture and tradition and vibrant heritage if they stopped speaking Tenyidie and gave due respect to the common language.

Reiterating the need to give equal importance to Tenyidie as Hindi, English or Nagamese, Solo also pointed out how children are being denied to either speak or learn Tenyidie as parents continue to send them to hostels for education and in search of job within and outside the country.

Sharing from an experience how people from other nations have shown admiration and respect to them particularly for speaking their own Tenyidie while attending an international gathering, Solo urged to take steps toward preserving and speaking their language. She further implored the Tenyidie students’ union and URA Academy, a literary society for preserving Tenyimia culture, to be the bridge between those well-versed in Tenyidie and those who are ignorant of the language for reviving the culture of speaking their language with due respect and honour.

Vipralhou Kesiezie, retired SCERT director, while emphasising on the National Education Policy 2020, informed that mother tongue would be implemented in the schools till class 8 while multi-dialects would be adopted by the teachers for classroom teaching.

However, he observed the danger of using Nagamese in lieu of mother tongue/ multi-dialects in the event the class teachers are not adequately equipped or competent.

He also suggested developing high quality textbooks including Science in mother tongue till class 8. He, however, pointed out that limited vocabularies in mother tongue and local dialects would be a setback for books in local dialects.

Kesiezie also informed that there would be too many languages to be studied by students such as the three languages under the three-language formula. He added that Sanskrit language would be studied at all levels of classes and classical language to be studied online. Similarly, several foreign languages are to be studied and learnt at higher education level, he said.

Surprisingly, it was learnt that Mandarin, the Chinese language, which is the second highest language spoken in the world after English, was found missing although several foreign languages have been emphasised. It was informed no teacher training programme has been introduced till date though Nagaland University has introduced degree courses in Tenyidie.

The former director asserted that it is time to formulate a professional training programme for teacher education. He stated that teaching of the mother tongue should be based on an interactive and participatory approach while teaching word division, spellings and grammar at the early stage to be avoided. He added that all textual and learning materials would be developed in mother tongue till grade 8 on the basis of the state curriculum and syllabus.

He, therefore, stated that teaching a mother tongue should adopt the time tested methods of teaching and skills of language teaching – listening, speaking, reading and writing etc.

Other resource persons including Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, Thinuokhrieü Tseikha, Metuo Liezietsu, Vozonyü Liezietsu and Dr. Khrüvolü Keyho among others also spoke during different sessions.