LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Friday saw the introduction of a bill aimed at making mother tongues—such as Punjabi, Seraiki, and other regional languages—a compulsory part of the primary education curriculum across the province.
The bill was tabled by treasury lawmaker Amjad Ali Javed and seeks to institutionalize local languages in both public and private schools, as well as religious seminaries, with the goal of preserving linguistic and cultural heritage.
According to the draft legislation, students at the primary level should be taught their mother tongue as a mandatory subject. It further proposes that the language officially spoken in a given district be declared through a government gazette notification to streamline implementation.
The proposed law emphasizes that curricula be designed by the provincial government in accordance with each district’s linguistic profile. It also mandates that textbooks be provided free of cost and calls for the training of teachers to effectively deliver instruction in mother tongues.
“The idea is to ensure that children are not cut off from their roots, traditions and culture at the very start of their education,” Javed said, stressing the importance of mother tongue education in fostering a sense of identity and belonging.
Language activists and educationists have long argued that early education in a child’s native language enhances comprehension and learning outcomes. Supporters of the bill say it aligns with international research and practices that emphasize the cognitive and social benefits of mother tongue instruction.
The bill has been forwarded to the relevant standing committee of the Punjab Assembly, which has been tasked with presenting its recommendations within two months. The committee will conduct further deliberations on the structure, feasibility, and scope of the proposed law before it is brought back to the house for a vote.
If passed, the legislation would mark a significant shift in education policy in Pakistan’s most populous province, where Urdu and English have traditionally dominated the classroom.
