Language and Education Policies in Pakistan and Far East Asia: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

This paper critically evaluates the language and education policies of Southeast Asian (SEA) States including China, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar to assess the role assigned to official and indigenous languages in the main stream of aforementioned states. Keeping in view the language and education policies of SEA states, the past and present language and education policies of Pakistan have been compared in the paper too. The researchers have designed a model and labelled it as the 'Democratic Model of Language and Education Policy' (DMLEP) that can help the language policymakers to protect the rights of indigenous and minor languages. The model highlights the promotion of early education of children in their mother tongue. Additionally; it evaluates the status of indigenous languages in order to promote the language rights of the indigenous languages of the region. This is an important and sensitive area for a state to design such language policy that can satisfy every speech community.