[MLE] Minorities forum on Education

Dear MLE friends,
At the Minority Forum of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, about 70 recommendations were given on Education. Severel of those have references to the language. E.g.

59. School language regimes for the initial stages of education in State schools should ideally
employ the language of the child as the predominant medium of instruction, with a gradual
introduction of the State language or dominant local language, if different from that of the child,
at a later stage, where possible by bilingual teachers sensitive to the cultural backgrounds of
minority children.

65. The promotion of the cultural rights of minorities is necessary to further the fulfilment of
their educational rights. These rights include access to written, audio and visual media materials
in their own language in order to enrich the cultural lives of minorities. There must also be the
free exchange of books and other educational materials and access to universities run by
members of their national group in other States.

You can use those statements in your advocacy efforts to promote MLE.
Regards,
Karsten

Karsten van Riezen
Education Consultant, SIL Int.
SIL, South Asia Group.
www.sil.org

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From: PamelaJMackenzie@aol.com [mailto:PamelaJMackenzie@aol.com]
Sent: 11 March 2009 10:30
To: karsten_van_riezen@sil.org; Catherine_Young@sil.org
Subject: Minorities forum on Education

Here is the final draft of the Minorities Forum on Education paper for presentation at the UN - just out. 
It has some stuff about Language but not as strong as we would have liked it... I think it is in points 50..+

Pam


Dr Pamela MacKenzie
International Network for Development
www.infd.org.uk

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