The importance of English and Sinhala education in today's education system.......!
The importance of English and Sinhala education in today's education system.......!
The importance of English and Sinhala education in today's
education system.
In today's globalized world, the role
of languages is fundamental to the development and civilization of a
society;. Especially in the field of education, language is an important tool
for creating a student's knowledge base. In that sense, both English and
Sinhala are important in Sri Lanka's education system.
Sinhala serves as the mother tongue
spoken by the majority of the country and the administrative language;. Therefore,
it is very necessary for students who are selected for jobs in government
departments. Moreover, Sinhala is an important language to understand social
relations, cultural contributions, and historical events. Along with this,
English also plays a role in daily life. In today's era, English is used as an
international language in all fields such as information and communication,
technology, computer science, business, medicine, and engineering.
If students want to establish
themselves in global competitions, it is imperative for them to be proficient
in English. Many educational institutions in Sri Lanka are more interested in
providing education through English. The reason is to develop students to be
suitable for international standards. It is mandatory for a student to have
knowledge of English if he/she wants to continue his/her higher education
journey abroad. Following this, knowledge of English is also a plus point in
the job market. People from different industries are connected through English.;
This is necessary for the integrated development of a multilingual Sri Lanka.
At the same time, the importance of the Sinhala language is not only for
educational purposes, but also for identity formation and social cohesion. The
importance given to the Sinhala language in the national curriculum promotes
the mother tongue competence of students. It also leads them to participate
meaningfully in their society. Thus, students get the opportunity to embrace
and grow in their cultural identities.
The practice of two languages
provides students with deep thinking skills, language proficiency and social
support. Moreover, bilingual students can contribute not only to the
international arena but also to the political, social and economic development
of the motherland. The implementation of bilingual education in the educational
program should be designed to develop students' proficiency in both languages.
This will create open opportunities for them. It will foster cultural mutual
understanding and strengthen social cohesion. While English is a modern tool
that develops the ability to compete with the world, on the other hand, Sinhala
is also a foundation that firmly connects students with their social roots.
Therefore, by working together in
today's education system, students' cognitive, social understanding and skills
begin to develop in a balanced way. It is not fair to emphasize one language
and ignore the other; the quality of education will rise only when both get
equal space. This will ensure the overall development of students.
Therefore, in today's education
system, both English and Sinhala are very important to prepare students for
world-class standards and it is a great truth that when students become
proficient in both languages, they are more likely to be successful in various
fields of life.
Education is the foundation of a
society. Educational programs are designed in every country according to its
linguistic environment. Both English and Sinhala have an important place in
today's education system to reflect the materials, culture and history of Sri
Lanka. These help students improve their skills in science, technology,
communication, and participation in global dialogue.
The role and importance of languages
Language is not only a tool for
knowledge transfer; it is the identity of a society. The language used in
education determines the students’ understanding and ability to contribute to
society. There are three major languages in Sri Lanka: Tamil, Sinhala and
English. Of these, Sinhala and English are of great importance in the education
system today.
1. Importance of Sinhala Language
• National Identity
Sinhala is the mother tongue of the
majority of the population of Sri Lanka. It is seen as the language that
reflects the political, social and cultural identity of Sri Lanka. The
prominent place of Sinhala in education provides students with the opportunity
to connect with their cultural identity.
Since Sinhala is the language spoken
by the majority of Sri Lankans, it is a very important language at the national
level. Government departments, the judiciary and public administration are
mostly conducted in Sinhala. Therefore, students who want to engage in
government jobs or social services must have a good knowledge of Sinhala.
Furthermore, Sinhala plays an
important role in the integration, social cohesion and cultural identity of the
country. Being a national language, it carries a literature and tradition.
• Sinhala in Government and
Administration
Since the government administration
of Sri Lanka is mostly conducted in Sinhala, getting an education in this
language helps in playing a role in society. This is very important for
students preparing for government jobs.
• Sinhala in Knowledge Transfer
Since there are many textbooks,
scientific explanations and literature in Sinhala, it makes it easier for
students to study educational matters in their mother tongue. This deepens
their understanding.
2. The Importance of English Language
• Global Communication
In today's globalized world, English
has become a global language. English is mostly spoken in fields such as
technology, science, business, and medicine. Therefore, English is essential
for students to learn relevant information and receive a world-class education.
• Higher Education and Employment
Various universities and technical
institutions primarily use English as the medium of education. Thus, students
who are proficient in English have the opportunity to advance in higher
education and get better jobs.
• The role of English in the
Information Technology (IT) sector
Internet, software development,
artificial intelligence and many other technical fields have English as their
native language. This gives students the ability to establish themselves in the
world of technology.
English is the global language of
communication. Most of the subjects in the current education programs are
taught in English. This makes it necessary for students to be proficient in
English.
Moreover, various job opportunities,
especially in the private sector, consider the ability to speak English as an
important qualification. English proficiency tests like IELTS, TOEFL are
required when students go abroad for higher education. Therefore, English is
also considered a technical and life skill.
3. Benefits of Bilingual Education
The Sri Lankan education system
currently promotes bilingual education. This means that students learn English
along with their mother tongue. This has several benefits:
• Development of scientific skills
Bilingual education enables students
to expand their knowledge in many fields.
• Unity among people
By learning both Sinhala and English,
students are able to develop unity among communities.
• Development of functional skills
Bilingual education guides them to
improve their language concentration and functional skills.
4. Challenges and prospects
• Teacher shortage
In areas where there is a shortage of
qualified English teachers, it becomes difficult for students to master this
language.
• Quality of textbooks
Some textbooks do not provide a broad
perspective and are provided with language errors, which hinders student
understanding.
• Solutions
Improvement of teacher training
centers
• Improving the quality of source
material and textbooks
Major use of language learning
technologies (Language Apps, Smart Classes).
Resolution
Both English and Sinhala play a major
role in today's education system. Students who are proficient in both languages
can collaborate and thrive in a global environment. Therefore, using both
languages in education in a balanced manner will lead to the holistic
development of students.
Both Sinhala and English play a very
important role in today's education system. While Sinhala is a tool for
creating a national identity and social cohesion, English serves as a gateway
to developing global skills. It cannot be denied that these two languages,
together, are guides that elevate students intellectually, socially and
professionally.
In Sri Lanka, Tamil and Sinhala languages
are taught as second languages. Especially after the end of the war, Tamils
have shown great interest in learning Sinhala and Sinhalese have shown great
interest in learning Sinhala as a second language. The reason for this is that
they have realized the fact that the reason for the war in Sri Lanka is the
negative understanding that arose due to the lack of communication between the
races living here.
In that way, when Tamil is taught as
a mother tongue, the task for the Tamil community is fulfilled and when it is
taught as a second language, the need for Sinhala equality is fulfilled.
Through this, it can be understood that the Tamil language in Sri Lanka is
performing a great social function for the Tamil community and the Sinhala
community.
Furthermore, when Tamil is taught as
a foreign language to foreigners, it is performing a function for the world
community. Similarly, the Sinhala community benefits by teaching Sinhala as a
mother tongue. When it is taught as a second language to Tamils, the Tamil
community benefits. The world community benefits when the language is taught to
foreigners as a foreign language.
Thus, by Tamils learning Sinhala
and Sinhalese learning Tamil, the two conflicting communities can improve
communication between themselves, develop better understanding and friendship,
and improve ethnic harmony. Through this, the Tamil and Sinhala communities in
Sri Lanka can continue their lives with ethnic unity and peace.
It will not only lead to permanent
peace in Sri Lanka, but will also motivate the Tamils who have migrated and
are living in foreign countries amidst untold suffering to come back to live in
Sri Lanka. In that way, the process of learning and teaching Tamil and Sinhala
languages has performed a great social work that brings harmony and unity
between the two conflicting communities.
What do you know about the Sinhala
language?
Sinhala is a beautiful language. It
is very pleasant to speak and listen to. Like Tamil, Sinhala also has two
cases, written and spoken. The spoken case has regional variations. The main
differences are in the tonality and some of the
words used in regional Sinhala such as Matara Sinhala, Kandy Sinhala,
Colombo Sinhala, and Digamadulla.
Although Sinhala is a language
related to the Indo-Aryan language, it can be said that Tamil has a great
influence on that language. Grammatically, the influence of the Thevida
language family can also be seen in Sinhala. Similarly, Sinhala can be
described as a language that has largely absorbed Pali. A person who knows
Sinhala can easily understand and learn Pali, Hindi, and Sanskrit.
Linguists say that Sinhala is the
Sanskrit form of the word ‘Elu’. Today, the Sinhalese refer to themselves as
Hela because of this word Elu.
Although Sinhala has different
dialects, the Sinhala spoken by the Roti clan and the Vedu people of Sri Lanka
is very different. It can be assumed that the language spoken by the indigenous
people since ancient times underwent changes after the Aryan invasion and
absorbed the Dravidian languages, Sanskrit and Pali language, and the language
of the Portuguese, Dutch and English who came to Sri Lanka.
The fact that the words oluwa – head,
kakula – leg, pata – stomach, which are still used today, are not found in the
Dravidian languages, Indo-Aryan or Indo-European languages, can be said to be
some evidence that they came from the indigenous language spoken by the
indigenous people through the Sinhala language.
The Sinhalese do not have the same
language attachment as the Tamils. To tell the truth, they do not have any
concern about their language. It can be said that this language loves to
undergo changes without any restrictions. It is very, very difficult to bring a
new word or letter in the Tamil language. But Sinhala is not like that. It
undergoes changes immediately.
For example, we say Ng&e;J (perundhu) in Tamil as equivalent to
the English word BUS, but it is very worrying that the English word bus has been absorbed in Sinhala as bus radhaya (g];uja)
Not only that. If a Sinhalese does
not know how to speak Sinhala, he will think it is a matter of great pride for
him to say it in English. This situation is making the Sinhala language
vulnerable to destruction. The Sinhalese should realize this. If they do not
come forward to protect their language, in another fifty years they will be
speaking English as Sinhala.
In Sri Lanka, Tamil and Sinhala
languages are taught as second languages. Especially after the end of the
war, Tamils have shown great interest in learning Sinhala and Sinhalese have
shown great interest in learning Tamil as a second language. The reason for
this is that they have realized the fact that the reason for the war in Sri
Lanka is the negative understanding that arose due to the lack of communication
between the races living here. In this way, when Tamil is taught as a mother
tongue, the task for the Tamil community is fulfilled and when it is taught as
a second language, the need for Sinhala equality is fulfilled. Through this, it
can be seen that Tamil language in Sri Lanka is doing a great social service
for the Tamil community and the Sinhala community. Furthermore, when Tamil is
taught as a foreign language to foreigners, it is doing a service to the world
community. Similarly, the Sinhala community benefits by teaching Sinhala as a
mother tongue. When it is taught as a second language to Tamils, the Tamil
community benefits. The world community benefits when the language is taught to
foreigners as a foreign language.
Thus, by Tamils learning Sinhala
and Sinhalese learning Tamil, the two conflicting communities can improve
communication between themselves, develop better understanding and friendship,
and promote ethnic harmony. Through this, the Tamil and Sinhala communities in
Sri Lanka can continue their lives with ethnic unity and peace. It will not
only lead to permanent peace in Sri Lanka, but will also motivate the Tamils
who have migrated and are living in foreign countries amidst untold suffering
to come back to Sri Lanka. In that way, the process of learning and teaching
Tamil and Sinhala languages has played a great social role in creating
harmony and unity between the two conflicting communities.
The importance of English and Sinhala education in today's education system.......!
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