MOTHER TONGUE IN SCHOOLS

Language

BY LUKE KAPCHANGA.

Mother tongue is an essential foundation for learning, but will it ever be practical in Kenya?

This was a question participants at Elimu Yetu Coalition one day workshop in Bungoma left without finding an answer.

Most of the participants drawn from ministry of education, civil society and parents were of the view that mother tongue instruction is important for children to use when they begin school.

They pointed out that for purposes of self esteem and identity, children in lower primary learn their mother tongue languages.

“ Mother tongue is an essential foundation for learning as much as acquiring proficiency in Kiswahjili and English has advantages” , a participant noted.

School is an alien place for young children who begin class work in a language different from their own, they complained.

The language of instruction at school makes young children, believe that the language they have known from birth is inferior compared to the language at school.

Experts for long time have recognized the importance of children using their mother tongue when they begin school.

A study done by UNICEF, done in late 1990s in Zambia showed that students who began schooling using English instead of their mother tongue did not acquire enough proficiency to learn well by grades three or six.

However shortage of teaching material and training programmes, were noted as the biggest challenges.

Teachers were blamed for not understanding their indigenous languages and being the enmies when it comes to the promotion of mother tongue instructions.

“Mother tongue instruction in schools is frustrated by teachers, whothemselves can not read or write in their own languages”, a participant cliamed.

But parents were not spared either, as it was said that most have developed a negative attitude towards their languages, making children to despise them.

Joseph Wasikhongo, the programme manager with Elimu Yetu, commented the partcipants for coming up with the proposal, which should be pushed and taken up by policy makers at county and national governments.

“If what you people are saying makes sense then, time has come to ensure that a policy is developed and enforced in implementation.” said Wasikhongo.

On teacher recruitment, the participants be addressed through rationalization.

This should be adopted as urban centres are overstaffed, yet the shortage is felt more in rural schools.

They all agreed that having more teachers can be essential when it comes to addressing quality education.

The participants were told to be proactive in engaging education to have their inputs in county education reports, thus put pressure on TSC to employ teachers depending on demand.

Elimu Yetu Coalition is a national platform for civil society organization, professionals groupings, education and research institutions, which lobbies for implementation education for all.

It is objectives to influence policy shift towards a sustainable basic education and training system that is appropriate to the aspirations of Kenyans.

It also aims to build a strong movement with very clear direction and targets around basic education and training.