<div dir="ltr">
<div class="gmail-heading"><div class="gmail-content"><h1 class="gmail-headline">Tanzania: Let's Teach Them in Kiswahili Language</h1>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail-tags gmail-bordered gmail-between">
<span class="gmail-label">Tagged:</span>
<br clear="all">
</div>
<div class="gmail-sharebar gmail-solid" style="display:block">
<div class="gmail-a2a_kit gmail-a2a_kit_size_32 gmail-a2a_default_style" style="line-height:32px">
<a class="gmail-button_twitter" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=http%3A%2F%2Fallafrica.com%2Fstories%2F201803210069.html&text=Let%27s%20Teach%20Them%20in%20Kiswahili%20Language&via=allafrica&related=allafrica,allafricafrench,allafricasport">
<div class="gmail-share-button gmail-twitter"><span class="gmail-icon"></span><span class="gmail-action"><br></span></div>
</a>
<a class="gmail-button_facebook">
<div class="gmail-share-button gmail-facebook"><span class="gmail-icon"></span><span class="gmail-action"><br></span></div>
</a>
<a class="gmail-button_google_plus">
<div class="gmail-share-button gmail-google_plus"><span class="gmail-icon"></span><span class="gmail-action">Google+</span></div>
</a>
<a class="gmail-button_comment" href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210069.html#comments">
<div class="gmail-share-button gmail-comment"><span class="gmail-icon"></span><span class="gmail-action">comment</span></div>
</a>
<a class="gmail-a2a_button_email" target="_blank" href="http://allafrica.com/#email" rel="nofollow noopener">
<div class="gmail-share-button email"><span class="gmail-icon"></span><span class="gmail-action">email</span></div>
</a>
<a class="gmail-a2a_dd" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=http%3A%2F%2Fallafrica.com%2Fstories%2F201803210069.html&title=Tanzania%3A%20Let%27s%20Teach%20Them%20in%20Kiswahili%20Language%20-%20allAfrica.com">
<div class="gmail-share-button gmail-more"><span class="gmail-icon"></span><span class="gmail-action">more</span></div>
</a>
<div style="clear:both"></div></div>
<div style="clear:both"></div>
</div>
<div class="gmail-useful-top">
<div class="gmail-column gmail-useful">
<div class="gmail-content">
<div class="gmail-links gmail-related-topics"><div class="gmail-content">
<h4>Related Topics</h4><ul>
<li>
<h5><a href="http://allafrica.com/arts/">Entertainment</a></h5><div class="gmail-headlines"><div class="gmail-content"><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210669.html" title="Africa: A 1988 Song About Television Addiction Is More Pertinent Today Than Ever" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Africa: A 1988 Song About Television Addiction Is More Pertinent Today Than Ever</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210019.html" title="Kenya: Victoria Beckham Sneaks Into Kenya to Teach Slum Girls Boxing Skills" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Kenya: Victoria Beckham Sneaks Into Kenya to Teach Slum Girls Boxing Skills</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210006.html" title="Nigeria: Lost Archive From Chinua Achebe's Secondary School Recovered" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Nigeria: Lost Archive From Chinua Achebe's Secondary School Recovered</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210629.html" title="South Africa: What Bantu Golf, Shakespeare and a Xhosa Priest in Europe Have in Common?" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">South Africa: What Bantu Golf, Shakespeare and a Xhosa Priest in Europe Have in Common?</span></div></a></div></div></li>
<li>
<h5><a href="http://allafrica.com/eastafrica/">East Africa</a></h5><div class="gmail-headlines"><div class="gmail-content"><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210099.html" title="Somalia: Teenager Declines State Job" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Somalia: Teenager Declines State Job</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210648.html" title="Africa: Trouble in Paradise As Mauritius Tackles Corruption Scandal" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Africa: Trouble in Paradise As Mauritius Tackles Corruption Scandal</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210580.html" title="Africa: Mutual Benefits of Ethiopia's Refugee Policy" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Africa: Mutual Benefits of Ethiopia's Refugee Policy</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210189.html" title="Kenya: Kenya Tops in Phone Internet Traffic Globally" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Kenya: Kenya Tops in Phone Internet Traffic Globally</span></div></a></div></div></li>
<li>
<h5><a href="http://allafrica.com/tanzania/">Tanzania</a></h5><div class="gmail-headlines"><div class="gmail-content"><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210228.html" title="Tanzania: Academics Back Mkapa's Advice On Public Schools" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Tanzania: Academics Back Mkapa's Advice On Public Schools</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210197.html" title="East Africa: Lack of Info Barrier to East Africa Trade" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">East Africa: Lack of Info Barrier to East Africa Trade</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210686.html" title="Tanzania: Renew Your Medical Insurance, Public Urged" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Tanzania: Renew Your Medical Insurance, Public Urged</span></div></a><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210676.html" title="Tanzania: Govt Out to Evaluate Livestock Branding" class="gmail-item"><div class="gmail-document"><span class="gmail-headline">Tanzania: Govt Out to Evaluate Livestock Branding</span></div></a></div></div></li></ul></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="gmail-content-container">
<div class="gmail-story-body"><cite class="gmail-byline">By Devotha John</cite><p class="gmail-story-body-text">Early
childhood is a stage set for children to develop cognitive skills
coupled with acquiring language, which helps them to manage challenges
of the world.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Having language skills translates to developing the child's ability to master lessons in the foreseeable future.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">This is why
different education stakeholders have come with diverse views on what
should be done with regards to the 2017 Uwezo study, which revealed that
Tanzania's schoolchildren have demonstrated a good progress in
Kiswahili literacy but have low progress in English language; the medium
of instruction in our secondary schools. According to Uwezo assessment,
Kiswahili literacy among pupils in Standard 3 to 7 is significantly and
consistently higher than English.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Chief Executive
officer of the Consortium for Independent Education Providers in Sub
Saharan African, CIEPSSA Benjamini Nkonya challenged the government to
implement a policy that will see Kiswahili as the language of teaching
from primary school to University level and English remaining as a
learning subject.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">"Language is of
utmost importance in learning and it is a very important predictor of
performance starting from childhood. So, if a country fails to have one
language of instruction in schools it translates to confusing children,
"says Nkonya.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He said Kiswahili
should be used as a language of teaching, communication and interaction
for international affairs and English language should remain as a
subject like other subjects taught in the schools.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Nkonya mentions
different countries like, China, Russia, Turkey, and Germany which use
their languages for teaching while regarding others as language for
business purposes or international relations.</p>
<div style="clear:both"></div>
<div id="gmail-responsive-aans-view-a-container" class="gmail-outer-ad-container gmail-responsive-aans-view-a-container">
<div class="gmail-ad-container gmail-google-ad gmail-google-responsive-ad gmail-responsive-ad gmail-responsive-aans-view-ad gmail-responsive-aans-view-a">
<ins class="gmail-adsbygoogle" style="display:block;width:336px;height:280px"><ins id="gmail-aswift_1_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:280px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:336px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_1_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:280px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:336px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins>
</div>
</div>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">More than half century these countries have continued to use their languages and they are making head way economically.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He wonders why Tanzania slacks in using our Kiswahili as medium of communication and the English language as a teaching subject.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">"Our education
policy mentions that the language which should be taught in schools is
Kiswahili so it is better for the government to get away from English
language usage from secondary schools to University level and embark on
Kiswahili," he says.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">However the
University of Dar es Salaam lecturer Faraja Kristomus said due to the
Uwezo assessment, the first challenges to solve is improving teachers'
teaching skills as it is well known that Tanzania's teachers lack basic
teaching methodology.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He calls on the
authorities to devise means of motivating teachers to love their jobs
alongside improving their teaching skills as they play a pivotal role in
facilitating learning.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">"Most teachers who
teach English subjects lack skills and are short of teaching and
learning materials, especially those working in rural areas," he says.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">According to him,
some primary school teachers, especially in public schools lack basic
knowledge of their teaching subjects because most of them enter the
teaching career with low qualifications.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He says if student will have quality teachers the performance of English subject will be higher as Kiswahili.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">The lecturer notes
that there are some affective skills which a teacher is supposed to have
including team work, motivation and confidence alongside the ability to
organise and influence others.</p>
<div style="clear:both"></div>
<div id="gmail-center-b-container" class="gmail-outer-ad-container gmail-center-b-container">
<div id="gmail-adclickafrica-in-view-marker"></div>
<div id="gmail-teads-in-view-marker"></div>
<div id="gmail-sekindo-in-view-marker"></div>
<div id="gmail-div-gpt-async-ad-center-b" class="gmail-ad-container gmail-google-ad gmail-center-ad gmail-center-b gmail-activated gmail-fetched"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_/1001373/AllAfrica_CenterB_0__container__" style="border:0pt none;margin:auto;text-align:center;width:300px;height:250px"></div></div>
</div>
<div id="gmail-in-article-p-mid"></div>
<div id="gmail-aans-body-mid"></div>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Mr Faraja also says
parents are to blame for the children's poor performance because they,
sometimes, fail to invest in education. They do not find it necessary to
purchase learning materials for their children.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">According to the
lecturer other factors that contribute to children's poor performance is
unfriendly environment, especially in the village where English is used
as the third language. In most rural areas the first language is mother
tongue, followed by Kiswahili and English regarded as a stumbling block
to smooth learning.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Mr Faraja says the
poor attitude inculcated in the minds of some people that English is a
colonial language is to blame for the incessant poor mastery of the
language.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He calls on the government to collaborate with parents, teachers and children to improve teaching and learning processes.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Meanwhile Tanzania
headmasters association chairman Mark Mssangya said it's obvious that's
Kiswahili will do better than English because it's our second language.
He says there should be concerted efforts in place to improve English
mastery.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">"If English
language could get emphasis starting from home, schools and alongside
encouraging parents to communicate with their children in English, all
would go well," he says.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He calls on the
government to increase the number of teachers who will be become
language professionals, especially at the collage, adding that testing
students in oral communication coupled with a thorough assessment and
follow-up are means of facilitating learning.</p>
<div style="clear:both"></div>
<div id="gmail-responsive-aans-view-c-container" class="gmail-outer-ad-container gmail-responsive-aans-view-c-container">
<div class="gmail-ad-container gmail-google-ad gmail-google-responsive-ad gmail-responsive-ad gmail-responsive-aans-view-ad gmail-responsive-aans-view-c">
<ins class="gmail-adsbygoogle" style="display:block;width:456px;height:60px"><ins id="gmail-aswift_2_expand" style="display:inline-table;border:medium none;height:60px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:456px;background-color:transparent"><ins id="gmail-aswift_2_anchor" style="display:block;border:medium none;height:60px;margin:0px;padding:0px;width:456px;background-color:transparent"></ins></ins></ins>
</div>
</div>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Parents and
children should have faith in the power of education. That is education
can transform lives of the children, including understanding both
languages; Kiswahili and English.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Massangya adds that if we need English mastery we need to motivate pupils and their teachers.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">James Bitesigirwe
headmaster of Kibangu English Medium Primary School said on his part
that much attention should be accorded to teachers who teach English
language subjects, including imparting them with new techniques
alongside improving their working conditions.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">"The Government
should continue to invest in teachers who teach English language. Also
rewards should be given to teachers whose students score good grades in
the national examinations," he suggests.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">Patrick Maganga a
teacher from Makongo High School says language policy should be clear.
He notes that the government needs to choose one language as a medium of
instruction unlike the confusion shrouding Tanzania's students in which
they use Kiswahili in ordinary levels only to fail subjects in
secondary schools over lack of English mastery.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">"I call upon our
country to borrow a leaf from countries like Germany where English is
taught as a subject but other lessons are conducted in German. Having
competent teachers who are well motivated makes students to master both
languages; English and Germany," he notes.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He stresses that teachers should be highly qualified unlike these days where low achievers end up in the teaching career.</p>
<p class="gmail-story-body-text">He calls on education stakeholders to keep politics at bay when implementing Tanzania's education policy.</p>
<div id="gmail-aans-body-end"></div>
</div>
<div id="gmail-page-end-last"></div>
<div id="gmail-page-end-slidebox" class="gmail-slidebox gmail-closed" style="left: 1449px;">
<div class="gmail-page-end-header">
<div class="gmail-page-end-close" title="Close" style="overflow:hidden;background-position:50% 50%"></div>
<h4>Tanzania</h4>
</div>
<div class="gmail-suggestion">
<a class="gmail-headline" href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210228.html" title="Academics Back Mkapa's Advice On Public Schools">Academics Back Mkapa's Advice On Public Schools</a>
<p>Former President Benjamin Mkapa's call for national dialogue to save the education standards received backing from some… <a class="gmail-more" href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210228.html">Read more »</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<div style="clear:both"></div>
<div class="gmail-story-footer-link">
<p><em>Read the <a class="gmail-source-url" href="http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/magazine/success/Let-s-teach-them-in-Kiswahili-language/1843788-4349552-12h2jyk/index.html" target="_blank"><strong>original article</strong></a> on <a class="gmail-publisher-url" href="http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/" target="_blank"><strong>Citizen</strong></a>.</em></p>
</div></div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
</div>