[lg policy] Zambia: Local languages policy working!

[Harold Schiffman]

 Local languages policy working!  February 3, 2014 *

IT IS encouraging to learn that primary school teachers are slowly
getting familiar with teaching in local languages as the medium of
instruction for children in grades one, two, three and four.
The report by the teachers that they are getting used to the new
policy should assure those who have been pouring water on the reform
that it will be beneficial to our nation.
Since the government, through the Ministry of Education, Science,
Vocational Training and Early Education, introduced the use of local
languages as the medium of instruction for early learners in primary
school there has been a lively debate on whether it is a good idea or
not.
Many people from different backgrounds have welcomed the new
curriculum as progressive and patriotic because it will help preserve
Zambia's cultural heritage, of which language is a major component.
But there are also those who have expressed misgivings on the policy
arguing that it will pose a number of challenges to both the learners
and their teachers.
One of their fears is that the pupils may learn a local language which
is not the medium of communication for their parents' tribe or tribes.
There has also been this claim that where the parents belong to
different tribes, which speak different languages teaching the
children to understand one local language may pose a challenge.
There are many other arguments that those who are critical of the new
policy have been advancing.
Even some opposition politicians have tried to hijack the debate to
fulfill their political agendas.
What has come out of this debate is that those who in favour the use
of languages as the medium of instruction for pupils from grades one
to four seem to have more convincing points.
The Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) has explained that the policy
was introduced after a long process of investigation.
It has cited various studies conducted in various parts of the world
and visited several countries before finally concluding that the best
way to go is the use of local languages in the learners' formative
years.
The CDC has explained that findings of a number of studies experts
looked at and the information it obtained from the countries it
visited showed that children learn faster when they are taught in a
language they are familiar with in the first four years of their
primary education.
When English is later introduced in grade five the pupils are reported
to grasps what they are being taught faster because of the foundation
the local language has created.
It is for this reason the revelation by the teachers that they
catching up with the task is relieving.
The Sunday Mail reported yesterday that several teachers interviewed
in Lusaka said they do not have any problem with the implementation of
the new policy because they are determined to make it work.
Of course no one is saying that the implementation of the reform will
be plain-sailing.
There will be challenges along the way, but that should only increase
the determination to make it work.
We agree with Margaret Tonga, a teacher at Northmead Primary School it
will not be easy to switch from English to Nyanja.
But we also agree with Ms Tonga that there are solutions to the challenges.
For example, she suggested that teachers who are not familiar with the
local language in the area they are teaching must be transferred to
those areas where they are comfortable with the language.
Another teacher, Patrick Mulenga, hailed the policy as "good", saying
teaching in a local language eases the pupils' understanding of what
their instructors are talking about.
It is also good to hear from the pupils themselves that they are
enjoying learning in a language they use at home.
There is no need to frustrate the government's efforts to improve the
delivery of education and liberate Zambians from their obsession with
the use of English.

http://daily-mail.co.zm/blog/2014/02/03/local-languages-policy-working/


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