Abstract

This article descriptively unfolds the socio-academic perceptions of white-collar parents’ about the superiority of English medium over Urdu medium schools. An opinionnaire containing twenty-five opinion items was administered to fifty parents who send their wards to popularly known as English medium schools. The results of the study show that the majority of parents are fearful about the socio- academic or professional future of the children if sent to Urdu medium schools, which are either in the public sector or known as Galli/mohallah schools having eye-catching names. The study unfolds that a majority of parents themselves studied at Urdu medium schools, which, according to them, were once capable of catering to the multi-faceted needs of the students. Hence, the study invites the attention of the policymakers to address the issue and try to bring back the lost glory of the Urdu medium/public sector schools, which may guarantee the socio-economic future of students.

Key Words

English and Urdu Medium Schools, Galli/Mohallah Schools, Socio-Academic      Perceptions, Economic and Professional Needs

Introduction

The white collars in a society always play a vital role in its overall development, and it’s the same class that oscillates between the extremes: frightened to be the part of the poor class and striving hard to enlist in the upper. The only gateway to their cherished desires is economic stability achieved through education which could guarantee it. They have two choices for their children for schooling: send children to either English or Urdu medium schools, or the Galli or mohallah schools are at the bottom in the priority list. And rationally speaking, all Pakistanis have the same choice because the genuinely third one (madrasah schools) never becomes a choice for the white collars. There are, in particular, Sorts of systems in schooling in Pakistan in the case of the medium of guidance. First, there has been Urdu/vernacular language and, Secondly, English as a medium of education for the rich humans. There have been Urdu/ vernacular language for hundreds and English medium for elitists within the direction of British rule (Rahman, 1997). 

Further, at the side of public run institutions or, in other phrases, Urdu medium colleges, the amount of non-public colleges has elevated within the previous couple of years, and about one out of 3 youngsters attend private area (Andrabi, Das, & Khwaja, 2008). However, English has without a doubt turn out to be the language of the 21st century in the slight of the want of an international language.  Therefore, we see that the numbers are the approximate, audio machine of English; variety from one hundred million to a thousand million and at any rate, McArthur (2002) makes out “less assailable facts”, which underline the unchallengeable status of English as a world language. It suggests that currently, we can use the terminology- globalization of the English language. As McArthur (2002) has compiled the maximum essential of these and they'll be as follows: worldwide English, worldwide language, global English, international language, global Auxiliary Language, tremendous international English (ISE), global English, stylish global English (WSE), world Englishes, and international Language.

This provides people opportunities for the children to send them to the schools by considering various factors of success. By keeping the fact into consideration, the study intends to seek the opinion of the white-collar parents ageing from 30 to 50 years and focuses on the parents, both mothers and fathers, who economic stability because of their profession or occupation. 

Research Questions

Following are the research questions:

1. Is the quality of teaching at Urdu and English medium schools different?

2. Is it really a changed socio-academic outlook of the white-collar parents towards Urdu medium schools?

3. Whether or not the Urdu medium schools lost their glory in the current education scenario?




Significance of the Study 

Though the English language is considered very important for academic and social existence in the present educational situation and maintaining in view the significance of the English medium schools, is the cutting-edge study may be full-size for the subsequent stakeholders who may get benefit from the findings of this have a look at, parents, teachers, students, institutions, policymakers and future researchers.




Methodology and Procedure

The study is a descriptive research and conducted on randomly selected eighty teachers of 50 white-collar parents having various occupations such as traders, teachers, public servants, etc.  An opinionnaire (Appendix) containing twenty-five opinion items was used as tools to collect data which has been analyzed qualitatively for discussion and draw a conclusion of the study.  

Literature Review

The marketplace version of group/ faculty Choice

has globalized. This isn't always sudden, due to the fact the concept of desire inviting commitments of no segregation, right to live, equal rights and enjoyment, which is beyond political and social words (Forsey et al., 2008). Through multinational interaction, the concept of desire has furthermore transferred to European countries. From the micro-diploma mindset, parents’ electricity and temptation of desire can also purpose them to select out a university that shows their social norms and opportunities (Bosetti & Pyryt, 2007) further to their desire to teach their coming generations in an environment in local vicinity as Ball (2003) is of the opinion that parents’ decision seems to be a few parts that must be appropriate and is consequently hard to criticize. However, the reality that the concept of choosing sounds tempting, the loose college desire insurance has introduced about social exclusion in many countries (Butler & van Zanten, 2007).

The reputation of schooling through English has been categorized due to the fact the enthusiasm for English. The fervent desire for an English-medium teaching and learning system is a massive phenomenon, especially in numbers of areas of Africa (García, Skutnabb-Kangas, & Torres-Guzman, 2006), India (Mohanty, 2006), ASEAN nations (Ferguson, 2013), China (Xiaoyang & Yangyang, 2014) and Korea (Park, 2009; Shim & Park, 2008). Stephen Krashen (2003) furthers the discussion by stating it as the English-fever phenomenon. In step with García et al. (2006), on every occasion to be had, parents in hundreds of things of the vicinity choose out such places which are known as English-medium schooling system for their youngsters. For example, in China, a handsome number of public is going to education which is based on English and press hard that English is crucial for schools students at the manner to take a look at and recognize medical books and studies journals found in the Western countries, and participate actively within the global monetary sports activities and exchanges (Xiaoyang & Yangyang, 2014).

The opinion of the researchers takes us to an arena of high and low paid schools which sometimes gives names such as elite schools or English medium schools, and the others are known as Urdu medium or schools situated in galleries and mohallas. Low-rate schools are mostly tagged As low-prestige, low-charge, or low-price (Andrabi et al., 2008; Heyneman & Stern, 2013; Rahman, 2004a). A bargain is just like the relaxation of us; low-charge private institutions are unfolded for the duration of within the streets of Quetta town, specifically within the city and suburban regions. In keeping with a survey done through the Directorate of training Balochistan (2013), there have been a complete of 664 low-price private faculties in the Quetta district at the same time as the number of government colleges became 471. Based mostly on those figures, the personal faculties account for 59%, at the same time because the government schools make up forty one% of the winning faculties. Amongst the one's low-charge schools, there have been moreover some institutions under the umbrella of Iqra, which chose a blended syllabus training Islamic research further to English books. The survey, aforementioned, counts almost all types of personal institutions; however, it hardly rejects the percentage of the English-medium institutions. However, as researchers take a look at, the triumphing style indicates that the general public of such schools goes through English-medium names and put them up for sale as an English medium (Manan, Dumanig., & David, 2015).

There are types of schools in Pakistan which are prominently known as government rum Urdu-medium institutions, the private sector schools, which are known as schools that give education through English language and the Madrassahs (Coleman, 2010; Rahman, 2004; NEP, 2009). This has a take a look at specializes within the first, and 2d faculty sorts handiest. The non-public institutions or schools are basically segmented into high profile and schools without a brand name but are imparting education through English-medium, hence, consistent with their fee structure and other facilities given to their students (Harlech, Baig & Sajid, 2005; Khattak, 2014; Rehman, 2004; Shamim, 2008). Commonly, the immoderate-income colleges check the college of Cambridge examinations (O/A diploma song), on the equal time because of the reality.

The medium to low-income personal and public owned Urdu-medium institutions observe the provincial tool of examinations such as SSC or HSSC.  Moreover, there are a few Sindhi-medium colleges inside the Sindh province. In institutions, English is the medium of teaching in all prestigious higher education institutions (HEIs) (Shamim, 2011). But, English and Urdu language are used in a few departments in the public sector HEIs (Mansoor, 2005). Precisely saying In Pakistan, language as well societal inequality is mediated via varieties of educational establishments with high-quality instructional practices related to medium of guidance and tracking of school students into the network exam boards or Cambridge curricula and exam structures (Mansoor, 2005; Rahman, 1999). In truth the phrases Urdu and English-medium refer no longer best to the medium of education, but first-class university types in terms of ownership (public/ personal), social popularity of novices attending those schools and centers furnished and masses of others (Warwick & Reimers, 2005).

Furthermore, such brands are considered as identification markers; education though English is called synonymous with the more wealthy social elegance, and closer to western culture and way of living, which is sometimes known as being liberal, at the equal time as Urdu medium stands for the masses lots much less wealthy class of society characterized stereotypically with individual dispositions of being extra conservative and hundreds plenty less polished in apparel and mannerism (Ahmed, 2016; Rehman, 2004).

In assessment, the Urdu language is used for teaching or some low- recognition topics inner arts and arts. The very immoderate fee shape of the elite English-medium institutions and personal colleges create limitations for kids from the middle and reduce instructions to take part inside the academic opportunities provided with the beneficial useful resource of the use of the technique of these institutions. As a save you prevent surrender give up stop cease end result, non-elite or low-rate English medium schools have mushroomed in the remaining a long time or so (Harlech, Baig & Sajid, 2005; Manan, Dumanig & David, 2015; Rahman, 2004). However, their requirements of education-studying of English are in massive element questionable (Fareed, Jawed & Awan, 2018; Manan, David & Dumanig, 2016).

Presently it looks that there are new necessities for dad and mom. Bringing up a little one requires high great educational sports activities sports sports sports which want to be planned sufficiently early on; it isn't sufficient to simply enhance a toddler to be an exquisite citizen. The dominant parents' discussion in assignment both father and mother are to assume and act in line with a splendid model. Next, a few opportunities of the content cloth of that discourse is probably brought. Economically sturdy dad and mom introduce their youngsters to enriching pastimes which, collectively with the university, increase and civilize them (Vincent & Ball, 2007).

Furthermore, dad and mom ought to take part in their kid’s education and help it at domestic; due to the real success at university indicates instructional success within the future and generally an top-notch lifestyles (Kainz & Aikens, 2007; Simons & Conger, 2007; Rajander, 2010). Mother and father ‘must be’ privy to their little one’s development and the manner to assist it (Ball, 2003), for example, through the way of being informed approximately university alternatives and through the way of manner of understanding the aftermaths of them. From an emotional thing of view, moving to the top degree of an entire school is considered to be an important duration in a toddler’s existence (Weller & Bruegel, 2009). Mother and father may additionally moreover fear about whether or not or now not or now not or not or now not the school gives a proper training at the equal time as thinking about the destiny (Reay, 1998; Reinoso, 2008), which creates the strain to make a first rate, knowledgeable preference. Ball suggests that being an super, responsible decide manner taking the school preference significantly (2003).

Findings based on Opinionnaire in %:

S. No	Statement	Yes	Partially	Maximum	always	No
1	I went to English medium school	10%	7%	20%	13%	50%
2	My school was though Urdu medium but was good for study	63	9%	11%	5%	12%
3	There was choice to go to English medium or Urdu Medium school	4%	34%	2%	2%	58%
4	My teachers were capable to transfer knowledge to me	65%	9%	10%	12%	4%
5	My school disciplined me despite being an Urdu medium school	75%	3%	14%	3%	5%
6	There is very big difference between English and Urdu medium schools	80%	2%	3%	10%	5%
7	English medium schools provide learning opportunities to children for future professional life.	83%	4%	5%	4%	4%
8	English medium schools are costly	66%	3%	1%	6%	24%
9	Social status is attached with English medium schools	53%	5%	10%	10%	22%
10	Galli or Mohallah schools are also English medium schools.	5%	4%	4%	11%	76%
11	I feel satisfied to the school of my children	83%	3%	5%	4%	5%
12	The school of my children keeps the children busy in various activities	88%	3%	2%	4%	3%
13	Urdu medium schools cannot cater to English language needs of the children	81%	2%	4%	4%	11%
14	English medium schools prepare children for their future profession	81%	3%	5%	4%	7%
15	Urdu medium schools can satisfy the parents who don’t question on their children progress.	76%	3%	1%	6%	14%
16	There is no concept of corporeal punishment at the school of my children.	92%	3%	2%	1%	2%
17	Children develop their critical thinking and ask me academic and society related questions.	84%	3%	6%	3%	4%
18	English medium schools pave better way to children for chooses right profession for economic growth.	85%	3%	3%	4%	5%
19	English exercises more importance in today’s global village.	89%	3%	2%	1%	5%
20	Knowing Urdu or Punjabi languages is nor more a significant part of the professional life of children.	8%	6%	5%	4%	77%
21	I feel comfortable when my children speak English in their social life.	91%	3%	2%	1%	3%
22	There are fewer co-academic activities at the school of my children.	3%	3%	3%	4%	87%
23	English medium schools provide a conducive learning environment to my children.	90%	3%	2%	1%	4%
24	There are fewer sports at activities at the school of my children.	46%	3%	3%	4%	44%
25	English medium schools are overall better than Urdu medium or galli or mohallah school in the present times for the intellectual growth of children.	87%	3%	3%	3%	4%

Discussion

The study put before it the following questions to seek their answer in the light of the responses of the white-collar parents ageing 33 to 50 years in the megacity (Lahore):

1. Is the quality of teaching at Urdu and English medium schools different?

2. Is it really a changed socio-academic outlook of the white-collar parents towards Urdu medium schools?

3. Whether or not the Urdu medium schools lost their glory in the current education scenario?

In the global village, nothing vague can be done because all the units of the societies, including children, are well informed and conscious about their surroundings. Hence, it is the parents and especially the white collars who work day and night to make their children succeed in the social and professional lives. For that very reason, they have to make choices for their coming generation. Pakistan is one of the underdeveloped countries that is striving hard to make its name in the market-oriented economies of the world. We have seen, in the light of the results, that the majority of respondents themselves did not go to Urdu medium schools because of various reasons such as lack of choices, non-availability of English medium or elite schools, economic instability, etc., but are sending their children to either elite schools or English medium on the plea that ‘English medium schools are overall better than Urdu medium or Galli or mohallah school in the present times for the intellectual growth of children. The word overall, in fact, has many further dimensions and covers a set of qualities which have been attributed to English medium schools which were alien just a few decades before as we have noticed that the subjects had to join Urdu medium schools during childhood. But the most interesting point, according to the results, is that the teachers of the respondents were quite capable of transmitting required knowledge and skills to them and it is the secret of their own success as parents because they are serving handsomely in different professional fields as well as the corporate sector. 

We know that there are thousands of schools in the public sector as well as teachers in the province of the Punjab on whom the government is spending millions of rupees, but the irony of fate is, according to the responses of the subject, that they are not catering for the needs required by all members of the society. Does it mean that those who cannot financially afford their children to attend English medium of elite schools are destined to send children to Urdu medium schools, which are mainly run in the public sector? The answer to the self-raised question can be found in the responses of the subjects who believe that the schools of their children, English medium, offer many academic and co-academic activities to the children which ultimately sharpen their critical thinking which, the researchers feel, can be the ultimate goal of all education systems in the modern world of technology.  This proves that the academic quality of English medium schools I getting better day by day and giving assurance to the white collars a sound academic and professional future. 

We have also noticed, as the results show, that teacher-parents and school-parent liaison is very frequent so far as English medium schools management is concerned. There had been a time when the Urdu medium school's teachers were in contact with the guardians of the wards, but it is possible that because of the lack of such activities, the respondents are reluctant to get their children received early education at public run schools which have been tagged as Urdu Medium. This socio-academic shift is also putting certain questions on the policymakers that why can’t the glory of the Urdu medium schools be regained by reshaping them in accordance with new educational demands so that parents, including all classes, start trusting them. 

We must not forget that it is because of various knowledge and skills; transfer difference which has been highlighted by the subjects as they feel that much is done at the English medium schools which prepare the children for a future profession which is the primary goal of each and every education system. A point becomes irritant when we see the results regarding the total learning environment at English medium schools, which according to the subjects is conducive. It provides much to wind up the discussion because it is, in fact, the conducive environment that makes the difference between the educational institutions, whereas the medium comes later.

Conclusion

The above discussion enables us to state that

though there is the brand name of English medium or elite schools in the market, the status of Urdu medium schools cannot be demeaned because the study has touched the lower class of the society, which has millions of parents who may have a different opinion about the Urdu medium schools. But the study concluded that whatever could be the opinion of the other classes of the society, the Urdu medium schools have lost their glory which they exercised years and produced physicians, engineers, civil servants, educationists, intellectuals, poets, scholars and whatnot. However, so far as the present socio-economic needs are concerned, the English medium schools are doing well as the subjects opined.  This has also driven the white-collar parents away from Urdu medium schools on socio-academic and professional grounds as they find Urdu medium schools providing fewer academic opportunities to the children who would not be able to compete in the modern times where we find quite tough competitions in all social sectors. 

Recommendations

In the light of the conclusion, the study puts forward the following recommendations:

1. There must be community involvement in the Urdu medium schools’ academics.

2. Teacher-parents meeting should be arranged on a monthly basis. 

3. Teachers should be encouraged to practice activity based teaching/learning.

4. Micro-level training at the schools level may be promoted, and mock competitions are arranged at the schools.

5. English medium schools’ co-academic success stories may be made models for better academic results of the students of the Urdu medium schools.

6. The main focus may be given to generate critical thinking of students, and task-based teaching/learning may be encouraged.

7. All types of activities, such as academic, co-academic or extra-curricular, be equally focused.  

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