Practice and politics of English language policy implementation : a case study of 2009 medium of instruction policy shift in the north eastern region of Pakistan

ABSTRACTPRACTICE AND POLITICS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION: A CASE STUDY OF 2009 MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION POLICY SHIFT IN THE NORTH EASTERN REGION OF PAKISTANByBatool AttaLanguage policies in education are contested domains. Language selection for instruction in schools across the world is even more complicated, particularly with the introduction of globalization, the concept of the nation-state, and the diverse choices of languages. The 2009 Pakistan National Education Policy (2009 PNEP) officialized the English Language Policy (ELP) for the first time for public schools in Pakistan, providing a complex venue for the research of language policy given the diverse number of languages spoken in the country and the Pakistani fascination with privately run “English medium” schools. This bottom up vertical case study of English Language Policy (ELP) implementation in the Northeast region of Pakistan (Muzaffarabad, AJ&K) explores multiple layers of the policy at the national, state, and local levels, and learns from the multiple stakeholders involved. Overall, findings showed a lack of coherence in the policy’s stated actions related to ELP and actual functionality of the policy; an absence of achievable timed sub-goals for subsequent levels of implementation; a lack of awareness of actual classroom practices and contextual factors on behalf of ambitious policy makers and State level administrators; and a lack of teachers’ and learners’ preparation for the policy. Policy recommendations include the development of appropriate policy scheduling realistic and practice based implementation strategies, the introduction of practice-based policy reforms for future policies, and the involvement of policy implementers and local leadership in active policy implementation based in classroom practices. Implications for research include the development of more horizontal studies of ELP implementation and practice in other regions of Pakistan and also in countries which share the same language policy practices as Pakistan.