Peer-reviewed article

Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education and Learning Outcomes in Tribal Schools

Bhabatosh Mahato · 1 Jul 2025

Abstract

What happens to learning when tribal children receive instruction in a language they barely understand? This research examined the relationship between mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) and academic learning outcomes among tribal school children in three states of eastern India. Using a comparative cross-sectional design, the research assessed 540 students aged 8 to 12 years drawn from three instructional medium categories: mother tongue medium (n = 180, from schools using Santhali or Mundari as the primary instructional language), bilingual approach (n = 180, from schools using both the local language and Hindi), and Hindi-only medium (n = 180, from schools using Hindi exclusively). Academic achievement was measured through standardised tests comprising subtests in reading comprehension (25 items), mathematical reasoning (20 items), and environmental science (20 items), adapted from state curriculum frameworks and translated into relevant tribal languages. Mother tongue proficiency was assessed using a researcher-adapted 30-item language competency scale covering oral comprehension, vocabulary, and narrative production. Schools were selected through stratified purposive sampling to ensure each instructional model was represented across all three states. Data were collected from 36 tribal schools across Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal between October 2023 and March 2024. One-way ANOVA results revealed statistically significant differences across instructional groups (F(2, 537) = 24.18, p < 0.001), with mother tongue medium students scoring highest (M = 68.3, SD = 11.2), followed by bilingual students (M = 61.7, SD = 13.4) and Hindi-only students (M = 49.8, SD = 14.1). Post-hoc Tukey tests confirmed significant differences between all three pairs. A strong positive correlation emerged between mother tongue proficiency and overall learning outcomes (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). Effect size analysis showed that the mother tongue group outperformed the Hindi-only group by 18.5 points (Cohen's d = 0.87), confirming practically meaningful differences. Multiple regression explained 47% of variance in learning outcomes, with instructional medium (Beta = 0.38) and mother tongue proficiency (Beta = 0.31) as the strongest predictors, followed by parental education (Beta = 0.14) and school infrastructure quality (Beta = 0.09). Qualitative interviews with 48 teachers revealed that mother tongue instruction increased classroom participation, reduced test anxiety, and strengthened conceptual understanding, with several teachers reporting visible confidence shifts when instruction moved to the local language. The findings support expanding MTB-MLE programmes in tribal regions as a means of improving educational equity.