Open Access

S. Bashir, Fizza Batool

• English has existed as the medium of instruction in some private schools of the subcontinent for over a century now. However, the sudden enforcement of English as the medium of instruction in the government schools of Punjab led to such a notable deterioration of the educational environment that the government had to abandon its forcible implementations without even issuing a notification of withdrawal. In the four years of its implementation, 2009-2013, students’ cognition of subjects drastically dropped, cramming increased, student teacher relationship declined and their confidence suffered. A number of studies on the failure of this policy have blamed a lack of capacity, competence and due diligence on the part of government school teachers. This study of 30 government schools of Lahore traces the issue of MoI historically and reaches different conclusions. Teachers are definitely nor the culprits, if anything, they are the victims of an ill conceived government policy. We foundEnglish has existed as the medium of instruction in some private schools of the subcontinent for over a century now. However, the sudden enforcement of English as the medium of instruction in the government schools of Punjab led to such a notable deterioration of the educational environment that the government had to abandon its forcible implementations without even issuing a notification of withdrawal. In the four years of its implementation, 2009-2013, students’ cognition of subjects drastically dropped, cramming increased, student teacher relationship declined and their confidence suffered. A number of studies on the failure of this policy have blamed a lack of capacity, competence and due diligence on the part of government school teachers. This study of 30 government schools of Lahore traces the issue of MoI historically and reaches different conclusions. Teachers are definitely nor the culprits, if anything, they are the victims of an ill conceived government policy. We found most teachers dedicated, committed and involved. They considered the government policy flawed, based on wrong advice and which, contrary to its claims, would only deepen the inequality of the educational process further and deprive their mostly working class students of whatever little education they were able to receive at present. Spread of private education and gradual withdrawal of government from school education has completed the process of differentiation leaving only the poorest attending the government schools. The social class and home environment of these students is far removed from the environment conducive to learning English.…