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English coaching centres: a ploy to mint money
Lahore, Feb 2008: The mushroom growth of English language coaching centres as an
industry exposes not only the weakness of prevailing education system and the
quality of teaching especially offered by public sector but also testifies to
the surge in English learning, especially spoken mode, over the past few
years.
One can easily find academies and coaching centres where special
"crash" programmes are offered to people interested in improving their skills in
both written and spoken English language. However, it is a fact that most of
these centres are neither properly equipped nor staffed.
On the other
hand, such institutes not only charge hefty amount as course fees while students
are also asked to buy necessary material such as CDs, cassettes and other
literature to improve their skills of the language.
A number of people, those going to English language centres, said they were
learning the language because English was the language of modern and elite class
whereas it was also regarded as a status symbol in society.
However, some
said importance of English cannot be denied since it was an international
language, a language of science and technology and as they were not exposed to
the language in their school age, therefore they were learning it now.
It
is a fact that most of the public sector schools offer Urdu language as a medium
of instructions till matriculation unlike private schools where English-medium
as a mode of education is more common.
Therefore, it is obvious students
studying in private schools have more advantages over those studying in
government schools as far as their exposure to English language is concerned.
The subject becomes altogether different when applied to students who go far
foreign examinations such as Cambridge and Oxford."I was not exposed to English
language when I was in school therefore I am now learning this language", said
Muzzamil in Urdu, who has recently joined an English language centre.
He
said he had taken up a two months beginners' course at a local academy and had
deposited Rs 4000 in return. He said though the course was quite expensive yet
he had to learn it as he was planning to go to United Kingdom in near
future.
"I am being taught basics of English language these days," he
said, adding, "After that I will take up advance level of the programme."
Tanvir, who takes spoken English classes at a tuition centre, said most
of the students who had joined either were previously government school students
or had never gone to school at all. "It is really difficult to teach such
students," he said, adding, "I daily teach them some sentences and they have to
learn these sentences by heart." "It is very slow process but they would learn
something in this way," he added.
He said, "If these students had good
schooling at primary level and had been exposed to English language, they will
not have to face such problems."
Another teacher said most of the
students had craze for spoken mode of English language owing to which they
joined special coaching centres and paid heavy fees. "We try our best and
provide them with necessary kits and the environment too to improve their skills
in English language," he added.
Syed Sabahat Hussain
Naqvi, Head of the Department of English Language and Literature at the Govt MAO
College said most the institutes were charging high fees and were exploiting
ignorance of the people.
He said some of the institutes were doing the
job seriously while most of them were only using slogans.
He said
English language should be given importance at primary level so that students
have firm foundation for improving their skills in the language.
"Most of
the people pay huge fees only to satisfy their complexes despite knowing
institutes were not properly equipped or staffed," he said. The News
Your Comments
"I am in need of English Language learning courses if you could help me with a coaching centre"
Name: Hassan ahmed
Email: evileyes_@hotmail.com
City, Country: Lahore, Pakistan
"i want to take english spoken class near my house my house is in uet lahore can you help me in this matter."
Name: aleem
Email: aleemhyt@yahoo.com
City, Country: Lahore, Pakistan
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