Students who are good in writing and speaking their vernacular language fluently grasp other languages very easily.
These are the words of the general secretary of the Fiji Teachers Union Agni Deo Singh who said a study has shown that those students who are not able to speak and write their own language properly find it hard to learn a second language.
Singh said he sees no harm in teaching students subject in their vernacular language if they are finding it hard to understand it in English.
Singh's comment comes after Education Minister Filipe Bole said that the curriculum officers have found that the literacy and numeracy strategies that they were conducting in their FILNA workshops has worked well with students when taught in vernacular.
He said the teachers are using the same strategy and feedback from schools show marked improvement in the students work.
