Wed Mar 21 14:45:23 UTC 2018

 Tanzania: Let's Teach Them in Kiswahili Language
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By Devotha John

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.

Having language skills translates to developing the child's ability to
master lessons in the foreseeable future.

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

More than half century these countries have continued to use their
languages and they are making head way economically.

He wonders why Tanzania slacks in using our Kiswahili as medium of
communication and the English language as a teaching subject.

"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.

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.

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.

"Most teachers who teach English subjects lack skills and are short of
teaching and learning materials, especially those working in rural areas,"
he says.

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.

He says if student will have quality teachers the performance of English
subject will be higher as Kiswahili.

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.

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.

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.

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.

He calls on the government to collaborate with parents, teachers and
children to improve teaching and learning processes.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

Massangya adds that if we need English mastery we need to motivate pupils
and their teachers.

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.

"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.

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.

"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.

He stresses that teachers should be highly qualified unlike these days
where low achievers end up in the teaching career.

He calls on education stakeholders to keep politics at bay when
implementing Tanzania's education policy.
Tanzania
Academics Back Mkapa's Advice On Public Schools
<http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210228.html>

Former President Benjamin Mkapa's call for national dialogue to save the
education standards received backing from some… Read more »
<http://allafrica.com/stories/201803210228.html>

*Read the original article
<http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/magazine/success/Let-s-teach-them-in-Kiswahili-language/1843788-4349552-12h2jyk/index.html>
on Citizen <http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/>.*

-- 
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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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