Teachers’ Attitudes Toward the Use of a Minority Language as the Language of Instruction in Primary Schools in India

Abstract

This study evaluates the attitudes of primary school teachers in Rabhalanguage- majority areas of Assam, a state in India about the use of Rabha as a language of instruction in the light of the new National Education Policy 2020. Fifty one school teachers were surveyed and 15 teachers were interviewed using the triangulation method. This article makes a case for advocacy and mobilization of the community for successful implementation of educational policies. Even well-intended policies might not achieve success if the target community is not convinced of the positive outcomes of the policy recommendations. The findings of the study reveal that though the teachers were overtly supportive of the use of Rabha in the classroom, they displayed subtle resistance toward its use due to the widespread misconception that if education is not imparted in more mainstream languages, students will lose important educational and employment opportunities. The authors make recommendations for carrying out proper advocacy and mobilization drives in order to create awareness about the advantages of mother tongue-based multilingual education.