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Perhaps Hindi should be taught in schools again

Dear Editor,

A small article in the Guyana Chronicle caught my attention today. The article referred to World Hindi Day. Previously I did not know that there was a day dedicated to celebrate this language spoken by hundreds of millions of people around the world, and by a large percentage of people in Guyana − mostly words and phrases, and not complete sentences. I recall there was a time, albeit very short, when Hindi was taught in high schools in Guyana. It was open to all Guyanese and I remember how excited students were, as well as many parents. Perhaps it is time for the Ministry of Education to bring the language back into schools. After all, Hindi is a part of the language of Guyana. When someone says, come na bhai, that is Hindi (Chalo na bhai), or when someone uses words like, channa, paglee, aaloo, dahl, roti, puri, kushi, pandit, pajama, bungalow and numerous others, they are speaking Hindi. I see a potential for another linguistic connection among our disparate ethnic groups.

Yours faithfully,
Mohan Singh

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23 Responses to “Perhaps Hindi should be taught in schools again”

speedy
on October 6th, 2008 5:52 am

And then…we will have to teach Akawaio, Arawak, Arecuna, Carib, Wapishana, Warrau, Macushi, Patamona, Wai-Wai, Portuguese, Chinese, Swahilli, (and a host of other languages which our African ancestors brought with them), French (let us not forget Le Repentir and La Bonne Intention). We must also remember Dutch, (Beterverwagting and Stabroek)! Though I may be running the risk of forgetting other significant elements of our linguistic history (and i apologise to all if I do) I wish to ask a question? When will we make the time to teach our children other subjects such as Engineering, Mathematics, the Sciences, Information Technology, Management, if we intend to spend so much time teaching Hindi and other culturally connected languages! And I nearly forgot. When do we find the time to teach English. More and more, I am begining to feel that we are quickly approaching the time when we will have to teach Standard English as a second language!

[Reply to this]
Satish
on October 6th, 2008 8:41 am

In a perfect world it would be possible to integrate Mohan Singh’s proposal into the High Schools’ curriculum as perhaps an OPTION CLASS as students begin to study for their high schools final exams … but sadly we are not living in a perfect world and the costs of hiring special language teachers would cripple the budgets for Guyanese schools.

Speedy has made some interesting comments.
One needs to take consideration of the large percentage of dedicated practising Hindus/Muslims students being taught in the government schools in Guyana as opposed to the teaching of Akawaio, Arawak, Arecuna, Carib, Wapishana, Warrau, Macushi, Patamona, Wai-Wai.
This high percentage of dedicated practising Hindus/Muslims students is enough reason to implement the teaching of Hindi/Urdu as an option.
As I have said, however, on the grounds of costings, the implementation of Mr Singh’s proposal is not logical at this time.

Local mandirs/mosques anyway, should easily be able to step up to the plate and supply the necessary instruction. The Lord helps parents and children who help themselves.

[Reply to this]
MACK
on October 6th, 2008 9:05 am

I believe Mohan Singh has lost his mind. Although hindi is one of the spoken languages of India, it is not a required language of Guyana. English is our spoken language, and everyone needs to know that. We also need to know the languages of our neighbors, and that needs to be taught in our schools. For those who need Hindi or any other language, they need to pay for it in a private setting.

[Reply to this]
Forbes Moore
In reply to the above comment on October 7th, 2008 11:55 am:
MACK. I am with you 100%, except I think that Mr. Singh has not only lost his mind. He is fast asleep in dream land. I hope that when he awakes from his slumber and PERHAPS when the mud falls off his eyes, he will PERHAPS realise, what a silly dream he’s had.

[Reply to this]
yasuman71
on October 6th, 2008 9:52 am

टेक आईटी एअस्य, भाई मोहन. लेट उस कीप हिन्दी इन थे हिन्दी स्चूल्स. ठाट इस गुड एनौघ. (Take it easy, bhai Mohan. Let us keep Hindi in Hindi schools. That is good enough.)

[Reply to this]
Satish
In reply to the above comment on October 7th, 2008 6:32 am:
You have the advantage over us yasuman71 because you write good hindi!
You had a good teacher and the teacher had a good student!

[Reply to this]
William J
on October 6th, 2008 10:22 am

I’m a fan of languages. I think that as many languages as possible should be offered at a high school level. Studies have shown that learning languages help students in other areas of study like maths. People from the religious and diplomatic community can be consulted to provide these services.

You know…Hindi in schools might not be a bad idea. Then more people would be able to understand the barrage of Hindi programming on our television stations and radio (singular).

However, I don’t think it’s the best thing in promoting a Guyanese identity if we keep harping back to cultures that are not really our own.

Speedy’s comments on Amerindian languages are another matter all together. I think that these languages need to be preserved as some are unique to Guyana. These languages are spoken in whole in some communities, not in shavings as part of creolese. It would be nice if they are offered as an option in public schools but definitely as part of the curriculum in Amerindian communities to stop their progressive extinction.

[Reply to this]
kawe29
on October 6th, 2008 11:28 am

What ever happened to our dear ‘One People, One Nation, One destiny’? Choosing a particular language or one race as a focus at schools, in my opinion is not the way forward as it would upset the many different peoples we have have in Guyana alone. Understanding each other and accepting each other and still be able to stand back and say ‘I know who I am and I know who you are’ is a much better way isn’t it? Afterall we must live together!

[Reply to this]
quibian
on October 6th, 2008 12:29 pm

teach hindi in hindi schools

[Reply to this]
Indifence
on October 6th, 2008 1:03 pm

The proposal to have Hindi taught in schools should not be regarded as a preference of a particular ethnic culture over another; choosing to implement a course of action is not an automatic invalidation of the other options available. Personally, I regretted not paying more attention to foreign languages in school and at home. Living in a globalised society, it is to one’s advantage to speak multiple languages. Pragmatically speaking, with the Asian giants of China and India in the ascendancy, it is not a stretch of imagination to think that having our citizens competent in the languages of these societies will be a positive thing. In addition, with Brazil being the leading economy of South America, more emphasis should be placed on teaching Portuguese in the schools also. French and Spanish are options currently enjoyed – adding Hindi, Chinese, and Portuguese to the options available is positive – these should not be based on ethnic considerations or even viewed as such. A significant number of Guyanese students are pursuing higher studies in India and Cuba – these are areas where language training (however limited) will be most beneficial.

The instinctive response in a diverse society is to immediately view any recommendation or implementation of an initiative that has perceived advantages to a particular culture / community as negative to the wider society at large. We should move beyond this instinct and evaluate the merits of the recommendation in the context of what is can do for the country as a whole. French and Spanish is being taught in our schools – was the rationale for implementing these foreign languages based on ethnic considerations? I would imagine not. Guyana does not have a significant French and Spanish heritage – so arguments that contend that the implementing of a particular language in the curriculum (because of its links to members of a particular ethnic group) will demand that similar actions for other language groups based on ethnic considerations are not wholly valid. Trinidad and Tobago is attempting to become a bilingual society – English and Spanish; would be interesting to know what considerations went into choosing the second language. This could possibly guide our deliberations…

[Reply to this]
bbuckman
on October 6th, 2008 1:12 pm

When I learnt Hindi it was under a shed at the back of the mandar.it has created miracle for me during the common entrance exam. I was sent for my then minister ridley and was asked about my profiency in English. I told her it was from Hindi that hat I was able to articulate the gender of pronoun like “I”

I Guyana need Portuguese, Spanish and French if closer ties with the diverse Caribbean would be forged.

I believed if the Caribbean should survive as a tradiding block and a counterbalance to Europe and others the coj should have 9 justices. Seven is too small and eleven is too large for cohesism, English should be the official of the court.

Guyana has the potential to be better than singapor.with natural recourses, tourism and an infrastrure to facilitate many international corporations along with an educated work force.
The revenues from this will facilitate a formidable defense to deal with any border dispute.

[Reply to this]
queen
on October 6th, 2008 1:46 pm

This is preposterous!
Can we focus on learning to speak and write the “Queen’s” English? The creole/hindi/whatever dialect that has replaced English certainly has no benefits outside Guyana and I fail to see what if any benefits within Guyana.
Then, perhaps instead consider learning languages that would be beneficial in a global economy.

[Reply to this]
Indifence
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 5:27 pm:
I would prefer Standard English…this colonial expression must go!

[Reply to this]
Joseph dukhi
on October 6th, 2008 2:17 pm

And of what value will that be?
Perhaps we should have more emphasis placed on French, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese since we are surrounded by these languages. It will better benefit our young people to strengthen bonds with our neighbors hence further assuring we are counted (oh I forgot… some of us cannot stop assuring themselves we are Indians…. Wake up people and find your own identity)

I don’t know if you looked at a map lately but Guyana is in South America not East Asia.

[Reply to this]
Indifence
In reply to the above comment on October 6th, 2008 5:26 pm:
As a matter of fact, your reference should have been South Asia …

Truth be told, the global language is English and business language is English …neither Dutch, French nor Spanish will expand much more in the future. However, Chinese will continue to dominate as the #1 spoken language.

[Reply to this]
buxton_man
on October 6th, 2008 3:58 pm

I went to college with lots of Indians (fron India), and they all would be chit-chatting among themselves, except for one female. One day, I asked her how come she almost never speaks with them. She said that she is from northern India where hindi is spoken, and they are from the south where they speak malayalam. They don’t speak or understand hindi, and she didn’t speak or understand malayalam.
So, wait a minute, if there are people from India who can’t speak hindi and aren’t trying to learn it, then why should Guyanese?

[Reply to this]
Shea30
on October 6th, 2008 4:21 pm

You’ve got to be kidding me….No, No way as this would start a religious war….could you picture—-another Middle East!!!! As some of the bloggers have stated, it would be worthwhile investing time on other Languages and strengthened the basics like Math, Reading, Writing…

[Reply to this]
M. Xiu Quan-Balgobind-Hackett
on October 6th, 2008 5:12 pm

Everybody missed the “perhaps” in the headline and in the letter. It’s all “perhaps” and knowing how the MOE works it will remain just “perhaps.”

[Reply to this]
Davis George
on October 6th, 2008 8:05 pm

Taught in schools?To do what with it?

[Reply to this]
Arnold
on October 6th, 2008 9:15 pm

Chinese and Hindi is being taught in Canada and U.S.A to adults, WOULD BE INVESTORS. Not as some Numb-Sculls Racial-minded thinks for preference,,,,,,,,,, but to monopolise on more investment in cheap-laboured China and India.

[Reply to this]
queen
In reply to the above comment on October 7th, 2008 12:34 pm:
Precisely, offered to adults on an optional basis.
Why not focus on pefecting the one language that is still the official language of Guyana?

[Reply to this]
El diablo
on October 7th, 2008 1:02 am

lol I speak 3 languages not including Arabic and Portuguese which “i totally suck at” speaking. But i am wondering,What many languages do you guys speak? Don’t tell me you are not smart enough to speak another language!!

[Reply to this]
gwen hemraj
on October 10th, 2008 6:04 pm

Teaching hindi in schools doesn’t make any sense as far as i am concerned.Guyanese people and children coming to America,especially people from the upper corentyne area really needed to learn proper english rather than hindi.I think english language will be of great benefit to a lot of them,they badley need to learn it.

[Reply to this]