International Literacy Day - Recent Reports on MLE
Happy International Literacy Day! Today, as we celebrate the power of reading and learning globally, it is essential to reflect on a fundamental truth: literacy begins with understanding. Over the past year, a wave of good reports and surveys has put Multilingual Education (MLE) front and center in India’s educational discourse. Aligned with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the NIPUN Bharat Mission, these documents move us past theoretical debates and offer concrete, evidence-based pathways for classroom practice.
On International Literacy day we can take a look at the documents published in 2025 and 2026 that demonstrate why language matters in early grade learning—and why these insights are important to India’s mother tongue education and MLE efforts.
1. Bhasha Matters: Mother Tongue and Multilingual Education (UNESCO, UNICEF & British Council)
Released in December 2025, this flagship report highlights the critical connection between mother tongue-based instruction and equitable learning outcomes.
It provides compelling evidence that children who start their schooling in a familiar home language display significantly higher reading comprehension, increased classroom participation, and lower dropout rates—particularly among girls and students in rural or tribal regions. It also bridges policy and ground realities, calling for urgent investments in multilingual teacher training and digital translation tools to support diverse classrooms.
2. MultiEd Report on Multilingual Education in India (British Council & University of Cambridge)
Unveiled in May 2026, the MultiEd report directly addresses the reality of English-medium government schools in India.
A common misconception is that home languages must be set aside to master English. The MultiEd report proves the opposite: structured, intentional "translanguaging"—using a child’s native language alongside English during lessons—improves overall reading comprehension and wellbeing without compromising English acquisition. It shifts the narrative from informal code-switching to a planned, effective pedagogical tool.
3. Teaching Learning Practices Survey (TLPS) 2025 (LLF & Partner Organisations)
Published in late 2025 by the Language and Learning Foundation (LLF) in partnership with Tata Trusts and key state partners, the TLPS 2025 surveyed over 1,000 early-grade classrooms across India.
The survey provides a diagnostic look at classroom dynamics. While teachers are increasingly aware of home-language needs, the survey revealed that home languages are still underutilised as systematic instructional tools. It emphasizes the urgent need to move beyond passive print-rich environments toward active, child-centered dialogue in the child's home language.
4. Multilingual Education Landscaping Exercise (Tata Trusts)
Released in September 2025(published May 2025), this landscaping study examines the operational ecosystem supporting MLE across different Indian states.
It maps out structural gaps in learning material availability, state-level institutional capacity, and teacher preparation. The findings offer actionable recommendations for philanthropies, civil society organizations, and state governments on how to coordinate efforts to scale mother-tongue-based foundational literacy programs.
Additional Key Documents (2025–2026)
If you are looking to dive deeper into recent publications shaping the MLE space, check out these notable reports:
UNESCO Global Guidance on Multilingual Education (2025): Provides global benchmarks highlighting that nearly 40% of the world's population still lacks access to education in a language they understand.
Parag – IBBY India Annual Highlights (2025 PDF): Focuses on the ecosystem of children's literature in India, emphasizing the development of high-quality storybooks in regional, indigenous, and tribal dialects (such as Santhali, Khadiya, and Mundari) to foster early reading habits.
The Bottom Line
The publication of these 2025–2026 reports marks a progress point for Multilingual Education in India by bridging NEP 2020 policy intent with real classroom practice.
Literacy is about making sense of the world, not just decoding letters. This International Literacy Day, let's advocate for the systemic support, local-language storybooks, and teacher empowerment needed to build inclusive classrooms where every child is empowered to learn in their mother tongue.
Regards,
Karsten, in collaboration with Upasana Lepcha
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