Emphasise Arabic, educators say

Kareem Shaheen

• Last Updated: November 03. 2009 11:45PM UAE / November 3. 2009 7:45PM GMT

Abu Dhabi // Pupils should be taught in both Arabic and English, but the emphasis should be on Arabic language and culture, a panel of educators said yesterday.

“Arabic is our language. It’s important to us and we have to concentrate on it,” said Dr Tayeb Kamali, the vice chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT).

“Even though the subjects we talk about use English words and phrases, our language and our heritage remain. We learn from each other, but we don’t forget our heritage.”

There is an ongoing debate over the use of Arabic and English in classrooms as educators weigh the benefits of preparing students for the global marketplace against the Government’s desire to maintain Arabic culture. Some schools have been rated lower in official inspections because of inadequate Arabic instruction. Last week, the Federal National Council said a pilot programme’s failure to properly teach the language was a “breach of the Constitution”.

The topic was discussed yesterday at the Festival of Thinkers, a three-day gathering of Nobel laureates and intellectuals at HCT colleges in the capital, Dubai and Sharjah. The National is a partner in the series.

When a student at yesterday’s panel discussion at Abu Dhabi Women’s College asked about the recent shift towards teaching science and mathematics in English, a professor from the US said it was important that students be comfortable in multiple languages.

Prof Lou Marinoff, the chairman of philosophy at The City College of New York, said students should learn other languages to compete in the global marketplace, and learn Arabic to preserve the country’s identity.

“It’s not a question of ‘either/or-ness’, but a question of ‘and-ness’,” he said. “That’s the meaning of inclusivity – do both. Learn English, learn Mandarin, but definitely focus on Arabic studies.”

The festival continues today with sessions on peace, global citizenship and the role of government in fostering innovation. Panellists include the Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr Shirin Ebadi; Dr Christophe Fournier, the president of Médecins Sans Frontières; Hassan Fattah, the editor in chief of The National; and Martin Newland, the editorial director of the Abu Dhabi Media Company.



kshaheen@thenational.ae