[lg policy] zimbabwe: Execution key to language policy success

[Harold Schiffman]

Execution key to language policy success
*Monday 6th February 2017 2:00*

Education minister Lazarus Dokora has earned a reputation of coming up with
new policy measures every week and this time it was announced that subjects
like mathematics and science will be taught in indigenous languages.

*Comment; NewsDay Editor*
[image: Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora]
<https://i1.wp.com/www.thezimbabwedaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/www.newsday.co_.zwlazarus-dokora2-1-278e0b7650a33119cd31fe7e3daf8008d1033152.png>

Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora

Dokora has attracted severe criticism over his policies and the haste with
which he introduces them, but for once, he has to be applauded for
introducing something long overdue.

Teaching of subjects in local languages, particularly in the early primary
grades, is important for children to understand and conceptualise what they
are being taught.

Many pupils struggle, not because they are dull, but because they are being
taught new things in a language that they do not understand.

There is an outcry that teaching subjects in local languages may be
difficult, but for the sceptics they don’t have to look much further than
Botswana, where there is a flourishing two-tier system of English and
Tswana medium schools.

But while there is praise for Dokora, there is need for measured optimism,
as again we feel the implementation is superficial and the policy was
announced too hastily for it to have effect.

For instance, people in Matabeleland have often accused the government of
deploying teachers in that area who do not understand local languages and
this has affected pupils’ grasping of concepts.

This has been a sore issue for people in that region for a long time, but
which the government has routinely swatted.

If Dokora’s language policy is to work, then teachers conversant with an
area’s dominant language should be deployed there.

It would be foolhardy for the government to deploy a non-Kalanga speaking
teacher in Plumtree, for example, as there is bound to be resistance, while
the teacher may fail to explain concepts in a nuanced way.

Thus, before embarking on this new language policy, Dokora should have
first carried out an audit to see where staff are deployed and if it is
feasible to introduce this plan.

The policy may look good on paper and be totally difficult to implement
because of structural shortcomings.

Dokora must ensure he has the right personnel with the ability to implement
his policies before rushing to announce changes to the curriculum.

We hope Dokora thought this policy through and did not just rush to
implement these changes, as this could be disastrous.

The language policy is long overdue and should precipitate more involvement
from learners in future, if implemented well.

http://www.thezimbabwedaily.com/columnists/109810-execution-key-to-language-policy-success.html


-- 
**************************************
N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its
members
and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or
sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who
disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write
directly to the original sender of any offensive message.  A copy of this
may be forwarded to this list as well.  (H. Schiffman, Moderator)

For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to
https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/
listinfo/lgpolicy-list
*******************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lgpolicy-list/attachments/20170206/915d924b/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
_______________________________________________
This message came to you by way of the lgpolicy-list mailing list
lgpolicy-list at groups.sas.upenn.edu
To manage your subscription unsubscribe, or arrange digest format: https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/listinfo/lgpolicy-list