Vernacular Education: A Narrative Review of Literature

This paper provides a narrative review of key language policies worldwide that advocate for vernacular education. It particularly examines UNESCO's 1951 recommendations on mother tongue education, which serve as the foundation for vernacular language inclusion in schools. The study analyzes language policies in Papua New Guinea, Kenya, China, and India, highlighting their strategies, successes, and challenges. The paper underscores that vernacular education enhances student comprehension, literacy rates, and cultural identity, yet it faces major obstacles such as lack of teaching materials, teacher training, and negative societal attitudes. While Papua New Guinea has implemented successful bilingual education programs, Kenya struggles with English dominance despite policy support for Swahili and local languages. In China, multilingual education balances Standard Chinese, ethnic minority languages, and English, while in India, the 2020 National Education Policy promotes mother tongue instruction amid concerns over practicality in a linguistically diverse country. The study concludes that while vernacular education policies can foster national cohesion and academic success, their effectiveness depends on funding, proper implementation, and changing public perceptions about the value of mother tongue education.