In the complex linguistic ecology of Pakistan, English occupies a paradoxical position—at once a symbol of power and privilege, and a source of pedagogical tension. As both an official language and a gateway to global discourse, English continues to shape educational trajectories, professional aspirations, and sociocultural hierarchies. Yet the teaching of English in Pakistan is mired in structural inequalities, outdated pedagogies, and deep-seated linguistic anxieties. Addressing these challenges is not merely an educational task; it is a matter of intellectual justice, national integration, and cognitive empowerment.
The Colonial Legacy and Linguistic Hierarchies
The historical roots of English in Pakistan trace back to British colonialism, where the Macaulayan vision of creating a class of intermediaries through English-medium instruction sowed the seeds of linguistic elitism. Today, this legacy persists in the stark divide between English-medium and Urdu- or regional-medium schools. The result is a bifurcated system where fluency in English becomes a proxy for intelligence, class, and access. This hierarchy reinforces social stratification and marginalizes the vast majority who receive their education in under-resourced vernacular settings.
Structural Challenges: Infrastructure, Curriculum, and Teacher Competency
The teaching of English faces formidable structural barriers. Many public schools lack basic infrastructure—libraries, audiovisual aids, and even trained English teachers. The curriculum, often textbook-centered and exam-driven, prioritizes rote memorization over critical engagement. English is treated less as a language of meaning and more as a subject of grammatical formality.
Moreover, teacher training remains woefully inadequate. According to a British Council Pakistan report (2013), a large number of English teachers at the secondary level lack proficiency in the language they are meant to teach. Many are themselves products of a system that emphasized rules over communication. The result is a vicious cycle in which ineffective instruction reproduces linguistic insecurity among both teachers and learners.
Linguistic and Cultural Disconnect
English pedagogy in Pakistan often fails to account for the linguistic realities of its students. Most learners are bilingual or multilingual, speaking regional languages such as Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Saraiki, or Balochi at home, and learning Urdu and English at school. However, the pedagogical models in use are rarely adapted to this multilingual context. There is little emphasis on translanguaging strategies or culturally responsive teaching. Instead, students are often penalized for interference from their first languages, reinforcing a sense of alienation and inferiority.
Pedagogical Innovations and Solutions
A paradigm shift is required—from a deficit model to an asset-based approach. Teaching English should begin by recognizing the linguistic capital students bring from their mother tongues and by leveraging bilingual strategies to scaffold understanding. Programs like the Teach for Pakistan initiative and British Council’s Active Citizens project offer promising examples of community-rooted, context-sensitive English teaching.
Curriculum reform must emphasize communicative competence over grammatical accuracy. Task-based learning, project work, and content-integrated language instruction (CLIL) can make English both meaningful and engaging. Furthermore, teacher training must be transformed through continuous professional development, including digital modules, reflective practice, and classroom-based research.
Technological integration, especially in the post-COVID landscape, offers unprecedented opportunities. Mobile learning apps, YouTube lectures, and language learning platforms like Duolingo and British Council's Learn English Teens can supplement classroom instruction—especially in remote or underserved regions.
Policy Recommendations
Systemic change requires policy commitment. English teaching reforms must be embedded within a broader education policy that promotes equity and multilingualism. The National Education Policy should encourage the development of regional language-English bridges and incentivize teacher certification in English language pedagogy. Furthermore, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and provincial education departments must collaborate on teacher recruitment standards, monitoring frameworks, and research funding for language education.
Teaching English in Pakistan is more than a linguistic endeavor; it is an act of nation-building. Done equitably, it can democratize access to global knowledge. Done poorly, it deepens existing divides. The challenge is immense, but not insurmountable. A pedagogy rooted in empathy, innovation, and linguistic justice can transform English from a barrier into a bridge—connecting Pakistan to itself, and to the world beyond.
Bibliography
- British Council. (2016). Can English Medium Education Work in Pakistan? Lessons from Punjab. British Council Pakistan.
- Language in educationin Pakistan:Recommendations for policyand practice
- Rahman, T. (2002). Language, Ideology and Power: Language-learning among the Muslims of Pakistan and North India. Oxford University Press.
- Shamim, F. (2008). Trends, issues and challenges in English language education in Pakistan. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 28(3), 235–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188790802267324
- Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training. (2021). National Education Policy Framework. Government of Pakistan.
