February 3, 2014
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The Persian Language Academy is Against Education in Minoritized Languages |
The Persian Language and Literature Academy's concern over the Rouhani administration's decision to include minority language education alongside Persian has sparked widespread debate in the media and social networks. Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi, a writer, translator, and Persian language scholar, described the Academy's fear and anxiety over teaching minority languages in schools as "completely baseless and incorrect." He stated that teaching the mother tongue alongside Persian is not incompatible and should not lead to choosing one over the other.
Earlier last week, Ali Asghar Fani, the Minister of Education, met with members of the Persian Language and Literature Academy and said, "In accordance with Article 15 of the Constitution, the teaching of local and ethnic literature must take place, and the President also promised this in his election speeches."
This statement was met with strong reactions from members of the Academy, who described the inclusion of this proposal in Rouhani’s administration as a "serious threat to the Persian language and a conspiracy to undermine it." They further claimed this was an imported issue and part of foreign schemes, allegedly motivated by political agendas.
Concerns Over Teaching Minoritized Languages: "It Smells of Conspiracy"
During this meeting between Iran's Minister of Education and members of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, the head of the academy, stated: "Our educational standard in the field of the Persian language is the standard Persian language. While other languages also have their place, the focus of education must remain on Persian."
According to Mehr News Agency, Mohammad Ali Mohebbat, a member of the Persian Language and Literature Academy, reacted to the new government’s efforts to implement Article 15 of the Constitution, saying:
"The government must refrain from directly intervening in teaching local and ethnic languages. We have a standard language that is our official language. If the government neglects this and enters the realm of local languages, it will lead to disaster."
Fathollah Mojtabaei, another member of the Academy, called the discussion of mother tongue education in the country an "imported issue" and added:
"I am certain that this idea has been brought to Iran from abroad. This was previously tested by the British in India, and today, it is England and our northern neighbors who want to introduce this issue to Iran."
According to Mojtabaei, "The best way to hold a nation back is to neglect its language. If we decide to use our mother tongues as scientific and educational languages, we will certainly regress, and this issue is dangerous. It smells of conspiracy."
Some Members of Parliament, such as Alireza Salimi, a member of the Education and Research Committee, downplayed the importance of minority languages. Speaking to ILNA news agency, Salimi said:
"We do not believe that teaching ethnic languages is among the significant issues of the country." He added, "The Constitution has clarified the issue of teaching ethnic languages, and the matter is clear and well-defined."
Mother Tongue Education or Education in the Mother Tongue?
These reactions ultimately prompted the Academy to partially retreat from its harsh stance. Bahauddin Khoramshahi, a member of the Persian Language and Literature Academy, told the Tadbir website:
"The Academy is not opposed to teaching the mother tongue but is against teaching in the mother tongue."
In another response to the Academy’s statements, Mir Jalaleddin Kazzazi, a prominent university professor in Persian language and literature, told Tadbir:
"Teaching the mother tongue alongside the national language is not incompatible in any way that we should choose one and neglect the other. However, if a child does not learn their mother tongue from their mother and at home, they cannot fully learn it in elementary school, high school, or university either."
This university professor described the Academy’s perspective on mother tongue education as "completely baseless and incorrect," adding:
"Local dialects and languages, like Persian, are very valuable and precious. They must be preserved by all means, and focusing on one does not mean neglecting the other."
According to Article 15 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Persian is the official and shared language of the Iranian people. Official documents, correspondence, and textbooks must be in Persian, but the use of local and ethnic languages in the press, mass media, and the teaching of their literature in schools alongside Persian is permitted.
This article, however, has remained suspended since the Constitution was adopted in the early years of the revolution.
In recent years, various arguments have been presented both for and against implementing Article 15 of the Constitution and mother tongue education. Proponents have even gone beyond advocating for the implementation of Article 15, demanding education in the mother tongue at all levels. However, opponents argue that implementing Article 15 could overshadow Persian, which is Iran’s official and legal language.
Report by Mehr News Agency on the Opposition of Members of the Persian Language Academy to Mother Tongue Education for Ethnic Groups:
در نشست اعضای فرهنگستان زبان فارسی مطرح شد؛ آموزش زبانهای مادری در استانها بوی توطئه می دهد