Asian languages ‘shunned’
A NUMBER of south Asian languages have seen a steady decline in their appeal in the UK, as students at GCSE level have shunned Bengali, Gujarati, Persian, Punjabi and Urdu, with numbers going down drastically between 2015 and 2021.
Labour MP Gareth Thomas said Gujarati has seen the steepest decline of 77 per cent at the GCSE level; followed by Bengali (66 per cent); Persian (65 per cent); Punjabi (45 per cent); and Urdu at 37 per cent.
Thomas, who represents Harrow West in London, has called for more government investment in key south Asian languages to reverse the situation.
He said investment and commitment was needed to kickstart a new generation of young people who were able to communicate with south Asians in their own languages in order to boost trade; open up business opportunities; and assist in improving the country’s collective security.