Enabling More People to Write the Indus Kohistani Language

The Indus Kohistani language, having a functional writing system, being used on Social Media and for literature development, and also having a Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education program is one of the few literate languages of Northern Pakistan. Spoken by more than 400, 000 people, this Dardic language has also been included in the primary school system of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the provincial government, like it already did for four languages in the past is very much likely to initiate book development in the language for curriculum in near future. This prospect has encouraged the researchers of the Indus Kohistani language (IK) to move forward with idea of facilitating the government with provision of trained people among the government schools’ teachers from the IK community so that once commenced the initiative could run smoothly and fittingly. For the purpose, the researchers from the Initiative for People in Need (IPN), a community based organization, working for the IK language contacted FLI asking for arrangements to train more people from the community in writing the language with major focus on government school teachers. The workshop took place last week benefitting 17 people from the community including six schools’ teachers who are hoped to be part of curriculum development process in the capacity of reviewers of the books in their native language. Other participants included people having interest to build their ability to use their language for writing. The participants appreciated the effort and showed their desire to attend more engagements on the pattern so as to enhance their abilities to serve their language. The activity is expected to boost the writing culture of the language as it provided more resource persons to the language. Since the language is on its way to become part of the government school’s curriculum, the trained people, especially the teachers are going to play their key role in standardizing the use of IK language for writing through their reviewing abilities they gained in the workshop. FLI reiterates its commitment to continue its support not only to materialize the dream of IK language to enter the government schools but also make the language eligible and resourceful medium among other languages in the curriculum. Standardizing the writing of lesser known languages is one of the objectives, FLI is pursuing to achieve. It’s hoped that the organization will find similar opportunities to smoothen the writing system of other languages too in future.