Debate over which form of Hindi should be taught in schools surfaced during a parliamentary hearing on the Education Bill yesterday.
The issue arose as the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights received submissions from the Education Commission.
Commission member Arvind Maharaj argued that Sanskrit-based Hindi should be taught in schools instead of Fiji Hindi, sparking a strong response from committee members.
Committee member Faiyaz Koya questioned how such a move would align with constitutional requirements and Fiji’s multicultural society.
“How do you balance that against what is required in the Constitution?” Mr Koya asked, noting that Fiji is home to many races and religions with diverse languages.
He pointed out that prioritising one form of Hindi could overlook other minority languages, including Chinese, and raised concerns about inclusivity in the education system.
Mr Koya also highlighted that Fiji Hindi, while less formalised, is widely spoken and recognised, and that the Constitution requires students to be conversant in it.
“You need to develop it so that it becomes formalised. That is what is being told to us with respect to the Constitution,” he said.
He further noted that schools already vary in their language offerings, with some religious-based institutions choosing not to teach Hindi at all, while others focus on different languages.
