The majority of people give learning English a higher priority over learning other native languages which are prone to extension due to the scarcity of learning them. From my perspective, English is essential as it is one of the most commonly used languages in the world in various aspects of life, but teaching local languages is equally as crucial for the conservation of the roots and cultures of individuals.
To begin with, it is widely acceptable that the need for learning the English language is growing every day at an exponential rate. To illustrate, a myriad of jobs in different fields require a certain knowledge of English as it can be the main language of all dealings within the business. In addition, most higher educational institutions all over the world obligate their students to pursue their studies -both bachelor’s and post-graduate education- in English. Thus, teaching the English language is truly pivotal to anyone who wants to have a professional career or a fruitful education.
However, I also believe that local languages are an extremely powerful weapon in today’s world. In other words, learning any language is equivalent to learning the culture of the originator of that language. Thus, if a person is immersed in his native language, culture, and heritage, he will be able to stand for his people’s identity and fight for its existence in times of war and hardship. One of the key recommendations for doing so is to give more time and effort to developing curricula in schools and colleges that focus on establishing strong reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in these local languages.
To recapitulate, it is debatable whether learning English wins when comparing its importance to other local languages. Notwithstanding, I think that taking the opportunity to learn both can be considered a powerful thing.