Category Archives: EDUCATION

Why and how Africa should invest in African languages and multilingual education

Sep 5

Posted by

Multilingualism and Cultural Diversity

What is your opinion about multilingualism and cultural diversity? In an African context do you see it as an asset or a curse?

An interesting paper from UNESCO published in June 2010 Why and how Africa should invest in African languages and multilingual education challenges many common assumptions about African mother-tongues and multilingual education.

The following caught my eye from the introduction.

Africa is the only continent where the majority of children start school using a foreign language. Across Africa the idea persists that the international languages of wider communication (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish) are the only means for upward economic mobility.

Think about it for a moment.

This brief is the product of an in-depth research and consultation process, which was initiated in 2005 and carried out in consultation with experts – the majority from Africa – in language, education and publishing and African Ministries of Education. It addresses seven common concerns about mother-tongue-based multilingual education in sub-Saharan Africa in the light of experiences of mother-tongue education in Africa since the 1950s. It also draws on a broad array of experiences and sources from around the world. The focus on African experiences redresses the mistake made so often in the past: namely, the practice of applying to this continent research results from regions with very different linguistic contexts and learning environments. Drawing on research results from Africa, the brief makes concrete suggestions as to how education systems can be shaped to foster individual and social development in African contexts.

I think it makes some really important points. I like the fact that the brief is focussing on research from Africa.
Here are some facts for you to think about:
  • Only 176 African languages are used in African education systems and mainly in basic education
  • 87 per cent of the languages of instruction in adult literacy and non-formal education programmes are African languages
  • Between 70 and 75 per cent of the languages of instruction in nursery school/kindergarten and the early years of elementary schools are African
  • Beyond basic education, only 25 per cent of the languages used in secondary education and 5 per cent of the languages in higher education are African
  • Although most African education systems focus on the use of international languages, only between 10 and 15 per cent of the population in most African countries are estimated to be fluent in these languages.

For me, that last point is the most poignant. In many African communities there is a really low level of fluency in international languages. For the child going to school for the first time the classroom, instead of being a place of discovery, becomes a puzzle, a nightmare.

I have seen 7 year olds in their first week in a school in Mali that used only an international language, French, looking so utterly bewildered and lost. It was painful to observe these classes where even the most basic of instructions were not understood by the children. It wasn’t until the end of the week when the teacher saw little girls peeing on the ground outside the classroom that the teacher realised the children didn’t know where the school toilets were. They had not been able to ask and he had not thought to show them!

Contrast that to another school on the same site where the teacher spoke to the children in a language they understood, Bambara. ‘I’m like your mummy’ she said to them in their first moments in the classroom. ‘If you need anything come and ask me’.  The children and the teacher were relaxed and by the end of the first week the children were really getting the hang of school and enjoying learning.

Of course language was not the only issue in those classes I described, there were differences in pedagogy too. But the issue of the language used in education in Africa is a major one, and I think this paper goes some way in addressing this through evidence-based policy recommendations from African research.

How to get a copy of the report

You can download a pdf of Why and how Africa should invest in African languages and multilingual education? from the UNESCO site.

Suggested Books (US)

Other books on Africa linguistics

Other books on Africa education

Posted in AFRICA, EDUCATION, Language Policy, LINGUISTICS

Comments Off

Africa Distance Learning, Unfolding Opportunities in a New World

Aug 22

Posted by

Distance Learning in Africa, Unfolding Opportunities in a New World

‘Hope Springs Eternal’ The saying could not have attained a better meaning and is best exemplified through the Distance Learning educational initiatives undertaken in Africa. The continent in order to make a prominent mark in the world of education is fighting hard with the credibility issue regarding Open and Distance Learning (ODL).

According to a report published in allAfrica.com http://allafrica.com/stories/201107140362.html) the AAU (Association of African Universities) Prof Olugbemiro Jegede, reported that ‘there is seemingly lack of interest in establishing national quality assurance systems by the authorities to improve education in the continent. However, like the rest of the world, the continent also needs to have a flexible tailor-made delivery of instruction taking advantage of emerging technological changes.’ He made this statement during the third African Council for Distance Education annual conference in Dar es Salaam.

Vice President, Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal, also uttered statements matching the sentiments of the Nigerian professor. He said that all African countries need to adopt strategies capable of accelerating the continent along the path of equitable and long-term socio-economic transformation. He also added that the need of a Distance Learning higher education institute in Tanzania could only be felt with the failure of conventional modes in expanding access to university education. He said that the “government was committed to support ODL.”

The minister for Education and Vocational Training, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa added at the meeting “Blending the two systems of education will boost the educational level in the country and allow learners to pursue studies through systems of their own choice.” The minister also said that Tanzania has already set the wheels of open education rolling in the region with great success, the achievement rate being 38,000 successful students and rising.

Distance Learning, as a developmental tool of globalizing the education had cast its spell over the entire world and certainly, Africa is no exception either. To raise the sustainability of socio-economic status, the continent is relying heavily upon implementation of technological advancements to learning and teaching methods.

Comfort and convenience coupled with the freedom to learn at their own pace has appealed the students across the globe to join the bandwagon of the million other enthusiast learners. From attaining the right blend of career enhancement and professional development to offering the freedom to learn the online mode of learning is like God’s best boon to the students.

Missing on classes and lectures, falling short of attendance, quitting job for earning higher professional recognition are all past habits now. The ray of light has been none other than Distance Learning and it has conveniently pierced through the darkness and depth of Africa to shower its students under bright light.

With institutes like African Virtual University (AVU) coming up as the genie to spell the wand of Distance Learning students are enjoying and experiencing a wide platform of success. An independent Inter-governmental organization, AVU offers courses in various disciplines like, Business Studies, Computer Science, and Journalism through satellite and Internet broadcast over 34 learning centers in Africa. University of South Africa (UNISA) is another established in online learning centers in Africa.

The African Distance Learning Association (ALDA) is another establishment that has been set up by African scholars and students to assists the African institutions. It works as supporting vehicle for virtual and open universities in Africa. SAIDE (South African Institute for Distance Education) is another non-governmental organization that has been conducting projects throughout South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. The main aim of the organization is to contribute to the developmental models of open and distance education practice. It also attends the technological use in education.

Distance Learning, as it takes Africa under its cover is steadily unfolding its wings of opportunities over the world. All, it can be said and done is move with the flow of change that is passing over the educational world at present.

Guest Post by Melissa Spears

Suggested Books

Amidst the euphoria about the new frontiers of technology sometimes perceived as a panacea for expansion of higher education in developing countries, there is a need to analyze persistent and new grounds of unequal opportunity for access, learning, and the production of knowledge.

The Handbook is intended a comprehensive reference work for practitioners, researchers and administrators engaged in forms of distance education in private and public education, from schooling through undergraduate and postgraduate coursework to doctoral research programs.

Other African education books

Related articles

Posted in AFRICA, EDUCATION

Comments Off

UNESCO Global Education Report 2010

Jun 24

Posted by

This UNESCO report presents the latest education statistics from primary to tertiary levels in more than 200 countries. This edition focuses on the financing of education and provides a series of indicators to compare spending patterns across countries and levels of education.

Get a copy

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001894/189433e.pdf

Posted in AFRICA COUNTRIES, EDUCATION

Comments Off

MA in Francophone Africa

Apr 28

Posted by

There’s a new MA in Francophone Africa programme at the University of Portsmouth School of Languages and Area Studies. The focus of the course will be the history, politics, societies and cultures of Francophone Africa. The course can be taken over 2 years part-time or one year full time. French language is not a requirement for the course.

For more information, please contact Dr Natalya Vince
(natalya.vince@port.ac.uk), +44 2392846145

Dr Natalya Vince
Lecturer in French Studies
School of Languages and Area Studies
University of Portsmouth
+ 44 (0) 2392846145
NEW OFFICE Park 3.08
Office hours Semester 2 Thurs 9-11

Posted in AFRICA, AFRICA COUNTRIES, EDUCATION, TRAINING

Comments Off

African Traditional Education

Mar 26

Posted by

In response to a question about African traditional education I found a couple of papers that may be of interest.

Some Papers on African Traditional Education

The first one is ‘Some key issues in African traditional education‘  McGill Journal of Education,  Spring 2002 by Michael B Adeyemi,  Augustus A Adeyinka

Here is the abstract:

Against a background discussion of the concept and general purpose of education, this article examines some key issues in African traditional education, namely its philosophical foundations, content and methods, strengths and weaknesses. The philosophical foundations of African traditional education are the five principles of preparationism, functionalism, communalism, perennialism and holisticism. We have highlighted the physical, social and spiritual content of African traditional education and the practical method of teaching and learning. The strengths and weaknesses of African traditional education are discussed and the attention of readers directed to possible areas for further study.

Read the full paper

The second on is ‘Virtues and challenges in Traditional African Education‘  by John K Marah (pdf direct link)

This paper examines the virtues and failures of traditional African educational systems, in the context of continental Pan-Africanism, and argues that traditional African educational systems must be complemented by a Pan-African educational system that transcends confocalisms and micro-nationalisms.

Suggested books

Posted in AFRICA, AFRICA COUNTRIES, EDUCATION, PAPERS and REPORTS

Comments Off

Tags:

Africa : 50 interesting things (2010)

Mar 12

Posted by

These interesting facts are from the World Bank. A lot of them are, as you would expect from that source, economic, but there is a fair sprinkling of social issues. (NB SSA = sub-Saharan Africa)

Africa globe
Africa

[Photo credit: duncan]

  1. The largest population in SSA is 151.3 million in Nigeria; the smallest is 0.1 million in Seychelles.
  2. South Africa’s and Nigeria’s GDP in nominal prices comprised over fifty percent (51.4 percent) of total SSA’s GDP.
  3. SSA GDP growth was 5.1 percent. Angola had the largest growth at 14.8 percent while the lowest was Botswana with a negative growth (-1.0 percent).
  4. South Africa has SSA’s largest real GDP ($183 billion); the smallest is Guinea Bissau ($202 million).
  5. Equatorial Guinea has SSA’s highest GNI per capita ($14,980); Burundi has the lowest ($140).
  6. The total GDP per capita of the richest 10 African countries was 25.2 times of the poorest 10.
  7. Between 1990 and 1999 PPP GDP per capita growth was 15 percent ($1,158.9 to $1,327.8) for Sub-Saharan Africa; in between 2000 and 2008 it was 54 percent ($1,372.9 to $2,113.9).
  8. Exports rose from $319.0 billion in 2007 to $413.7 billion in 2008, a 29.7 percent rise; conversely, imports rose less than exports, from $305.3 billion in 2007 to $372.1 billion in 2008, a 21.8 percent rise.
  9. Total trade as percentage of GDP is the highest in Seychelles, 283.4 percent and lowest in Central Africa Republic, 37.5 percent.
  10. In two thirds of SSA countries, one or two products are responsible for at least 75 percent of the country’s total exports.
  11. On average, the merchandise export within trade blocs is 8.4 percent of total bloc exports.
  12. Cape Verde receives the highest net ODA per capita ($438.2); Nigeria receives the lowest ($9.5).
  13. The highest private sector fixed capital formation as share of GDP is Cape Verde at 33.7 percent; the lowest is Angola at 1.8 percent.
  14. In Guinea-Bissau, the agriculture value-added as percentage of GDP is 51.5 percent; in Botswana it is 1.6 percent.
  15. South Africa uses the most electric power per person (4,809.0kW/h); Ethiopia uses the least (38.4 kW/h).
  16. In 2007, Burundi has the highest proportion of women in its labor force (90.2 percent); Sudan has the lowest (32.8 percent).
  17. Equatorial Guinea has the highest proportion of men in its labor force (93.8 percent); Namibia has the lowest (60.3 percent).
  18. In 2007, almost one in every three 15-49 year olds in Swaziland has contracted HIV (26.1 percent); the rate is one in every thousand in Mauritania.
  19. For the period 2007-08, Seychelles has the highest life expectancy (73 years); Mozambique has the lowest (42 years).
  20. In the decade (1997-2007) Rwanda and Sierra Leone have made the greatest gains in life expectancy: 11 and 8 years respectively. Conversely, life expectancy has decreased 13 years in Lesotho, and 10 years in South Africa and Swaziland.
  21. For the period 2007, Zimbabwe has the highest adult literacy rate (91.2 percent); Mali and Burkina Faso have the lowest (28.7 percent).
  22. In Seychelles, 92 percent of women are literate; the figure is 13 percent for Chad and 15 percent for Niger.
  23. Cape Verde has the highest gross enrolment rate in secondary education (90 percent); Niger has the lowest (11 percent).
  24. In Mauritius there are 22 children per primary school teacher; there are 91 in Central African Republic.
  25. In Burundi, 63.1 percent of children under the age of 5 are short for their age; in Senegal it is 20.1 percent. Same fact than below – to be removed
  26. The highest connection charge for a business phone is $366.6 in Benin; the lowest is in Ghana at $0.7.
  27. South Africa has 924 mobile phones per 1000 people; Eritrea has 22 per 1000 people.
  28. South Africa has the longest rail lines of 24,487 km and Uganda has the shortest of 259 km.
  29. In 2010, starting a business in Guinea requires 213 days for each procedure; it takes 3 days in Rwanda.
  30. In 2010, Sudan has the highest number of procedures to enforce contracts of 53; Rwanda has the lowest of 24.
  31. It takes 16.6 days average time to clear customs on direct exports in Cote d’Ivoire and 3.8 days in Gabon; conversely for imports it takes 31.4 days in the Republic of Congo and 4.4 days in Lesotho.
  32. Firms indentifying corruption as a major constraint was highest in Côte d’Ivoire at 75.0 percent, whilst the lowest is Ghana 9.9 percent
  33. The percentage of firms expected to give gifts to secure a government contract is highest in Congo Republic are 75.2 percent and lowest for Mauricia at 8.8 percent.
  34. Djibouti has the most urbanized population (84.6 percent); Burundi the least (10.4 percent).
  35. For the period 2000-07, the share of poorest 20 percent in national consumption or income was lowest in Angola at 2 percent; in Ethiopia it was 9.3 percent. (MDG 1)
  36. In Burundi, 38.9 percent of children under the age of five are underweight. In Gabon they are 8.8 percent. (MDG 1)
  37. On average, between 2004 and 2006, South Africa and Gabon had less than 5 percent of population below the minimum dietary energy consumption; conversely Democratic Republic of Congo had the highest at 75 percent. (MDG1)
  38. Thirty seven percent of children who start first grade reach grade five in Chad, while in Mauritius 99 percent reach fifth grade. (MDG 2).
  39. The lowest net primary enrolment ratio is found in Liberia (30.9 percent); the highest is in Sao Tome and Principe (97.1 per cent). (MDG 2).
  40. Youth literacy (ages 15-24) is highest in Gabon at 97 percent and lowest Burkina Faso at 39.3 percent. (MDG 2)
  41. Women in national parliament total seats are the highest with 56.3 percent in Rwanda and the lowest with 1.8 percent in Sao Tome and Principe. (MDG 3)
  42. In Sierra Leone 155 out of 1,000 children die before the age of one; in Seychelles the rate is 12 per 1,000. (MDG 4)
  43. In Sierra Leone 272 children per 1,000 die before the age of five; in Seychelles, the rate is 13 per 1,000. (MDG 4, IDA 2)
  44. Skilled personnel attend 5.7 percent of births in Ethiopia; they attend 98.4 percent of births in Mauritius. (MDG 5, IDA 4)
  45. Contraceptive use (any method) is highest in Mauritius at 75.8 percent; lowest is Chad at 2.8 per cent. (MDG 6)
  46. In Chad, 9 percent of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities; in Mauritius 94 percent have such access. (MDG 7)
  47. In Somalia, 29 percent of the population has access to a safe source of water. In Mauritius, it is 100 percent. (MDG 7)
  48. Gabon has the highest forest area as a percentage of total land area at 84.4 percent, whilst Djibouti has the lowest at 0.2 percent. (MDG7)
  49. South Africa has the highest carbon dioxide emissions of 414,649 metric tons, whilst Comoros has the lowest of 88 metric tons. (MDG 7)
  50. In Sierra Leone 3 persons per 1,000 are Internet users; there are 371 in every 1,000 people in Seychelles, which also had 212 computers per 1,000 people for the period 2005-07. (MDG 8).

(Reference: 50 things you didn’t know about Africa – World Bank)

Posted in AFRICA COUNTRIES, DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMY, EDUCATION, HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY

Comments Off

Peace, Security and Development Fellowships for African Scholars

Mar 10

Posted by

These fellowships for African scholars look like a great opportunity. Check out the website and apply early. Please contact Mirzokhid Karshiev at the address below the advert with any questions.

The African Leadership Centre is pleased to announce a call for applications for the Peace, Security and Development Fellowships for African Scholars starting in September 2011. This Fellowship covers an 18-month period, comprising a rigorous training programme on peace, security and development, which includes a 12-Month Master’s (M.A.) programme at King’s College London and an attachment to an African University to undertake an independent research project.

Further information can be found in our website: www.securityanddevelopment.org

We would be very grateful if you could disseminate this message among students and young professionals who might be interested in this programme.

If you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you,

Mirzo
–
Mirzokhid Karshiev
Research Assistant
Conflict, Security and Development Group (CSDG), King’s College London
Strand London WC2R 2LS
Tel: +44 (0)20 7848 7262
+44 (0) 207 848 1984

Posted in AFRICA, AFRICA COUNTRIES, Awards, EDUCATION

Comments Off

African bookshops in England

Mar 10

Posted by

This list of bookshops in England that stock African books is not exhaustive or complete but I hope it will be useful. Let me know of any corrections, amendments or additions.

Please consider supporting this site by also looking at SocioLingo Africa’s Amazon Shop which has only Africa Books.

The following list may also be helpful to you: Some organizations and initiatives supporting  African publishing and book development
Arthur Probsthain Oriental and African Bookseller
41 Great Russell Street, London, WC1
One of the oldest bookstores in central London is just short of 100 years old and sits opposite the British Museum. It stocks African, Asian and Middle Eastern books covering languages, art and architecture, archaeology, religion and literature. Open 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri; 11am-4pm Sat.

Africana
33 Whitehall Street, Shrewsbury, SY2 5AD
Specialises in rare, antiquarian and out-of-print books on Africa and the Middle East, with smaller holdings relating to Asia. Within these specialities, Africana covers all subject areas from anthropology to zoology, including scholarly books in all fields, literature criticism and periodicals.

Grant and Cutler
55-57 Great Marlborough Street, London, W1
It seems that every language is covered in the books, dictionaries, videos and DVDs at Grant and Cutler. The World Language section includes over 50 African languages including Amharic, Shona, Xhosa and Zulu. Open 9am-6pm Mon-Wed, Fri; 9am-7pm Thurs; 9.30am-6pm Sat; 12noon-6pm Sun.

Index Book Centre
16 Electric Avenue, London, SW9
Among various other topics, Index Books has a very good black literature section with books by new or established writers available. Black history is covered well, and there are usually good selections on black art and photography. Open 10am-6pm Mon-Sat.

New Beacon Books
76 Stroud Green Road, London, N4
This bookseller, distributor and publisher has been going for almost 40 years and has a healthy range of titles on Black British Culture, as well as classic and contemporary writing on fiction, poetry, politics and history from British, African and Caribbean writers. Open 10.30am-6pm Mon-Sat.

African Books Collective
Unit 13, Kingís Meadow, Ferry Hincksey Road, Oxford, OX2
ABC has over 1500 titles that include children’s books, literature, history, language, environment and education. The shop is usually open from 9am-5.15pm or by appointment.

Harriet Tubman Bookshop
27-29 Grove Lane, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 9ES
A specialist African bookshop with titles on education, history, language and general black or African literature.

Posted in AFRICA, AFRICA COUNTRIES, BOOKS, EDUCATION

1 Comment

Multilingual Education, a new Open Access Journal

Mar 3

Posted by

Call for submissions for Multilingual Education Journal

This new open-access journal should be of interest to Africanists and African academics:

Multilingual Education, a new Open Access Journal – now accepts submissions

URL: http://www.multilingual-education.com/

Editor-in-Chief Andy Kirkpatrick and an international board of leading experts are proud to announce the launch of the new online Open Access journal: Multilingual Education.

Multilingual Education is a high-quality journal that publishes empirical research on education in multilingual societies. The journal
publishes research findings that in addition to providing descriptions of language learrning, development and use in language contact and multilingual contexts, will shape language education policy and practices in multilingual societies.

Multilingual Education is highly relevant to researchers in language and education, language education professionals, and policy makers.

The journal publishes research on matters such as:

*  the effects of the introduction of English as a curriculum subject and/or medium of instruction upon multilingual and literacy
education.

*  the respective role(s) of vernaculars and ‘local’ languages, national languages and English in education, especially where the
languages are of different language families, and scripts are different or languages lack an orthography.

*  the role in multilingual education of other major languages such as Arabic, French, Hindi, Mandarin and Spanish.

*  the effects of multilingual and/or English language education on school drop out and retention rates.

*  the effects of the ‘internationalization’ of universities worldwide, potential privileging of the English language and of knowledge published in English.

*  bilingual/multilingual acquisition of non-cognate and ‘different-script’ languages.

*  stakeholder attitudes toward notions of multilingualism and related notions of linguistic proficiency, standards, models and varieties.

*  critical evaluations of language policy and its implementation.

  • the maintenance and development of multilingualism.
  • the effects of multilingual education and literacy education on

Suggested Books

Posted in EDUCATION, FREE RESOURCES, Journal, Language Policy, LINGUISTICS

Comments Off

World Bank Essay Contest 2011

Feb 24

Posted by

Details of the essay competition

This International Essay Competition is open to all young people, students and non-students alike, between the ages of 18 and 25, from all countries of the world.

If you are at least 18 and not older than 25 on May 15, 2011, you are eligible to participate. The deadline for submissions is March 17, 2011, midnight (CET – for example, the time of Paris, France). Work submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

For 2011 the topic is Youth Migration.

Young people are on the move. Improvements in transportation, technology development and increased international trade, as well as issues such as unemployment, war, health and economic hardship have prompted more young people to migrate within and across national borders in search of work, education and a better quality of life. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that young people between 15 and 30 years of age account for about one-third of all migrants

Nearly all young people are affected by migration in some way. Some are migrants themselves or are considering migrating abroad or within their home country. Others experience migration through the departure of friends or family members, and still others, in receiving countries, encounter the political debate on immigration and integration policies in their country and may experience cohabitation with new immigrants. Young people are major stakeholders in migration and yet youth are largely absent in the debate on international migration policies and the effects of migration on development.

The World Bank International Essay Competition 2011 would like to hear your views on the opportunities, challenges and implications of youth migration.

Questions to address in your essay / video :

1) How has migration (international or internal, in a sending or a receiving country) affected you, your family, your community, or your country?

2) How do you perceive the benefits of migration (increased opportunities for young people, remittances) versus the risks (brain drain, illegal immigration and exploitation of young immigrants)?

3) What actions can you recommend for broadening opportunities for young migrants in their countries of destination and their countries of origin?

We encourage you to draw on personal experiences when possible and focus on providing your own creative solutions for managing migration in a way that most benefits young people. You do not have to be a migrant yourself to respond on this essay, as you may refer to the experience of your friends and family or other migrants who enter, leave or move within your country. As migration is a multi-dimensional issue, please feel free to explore any aspect of migration that you relate to most, such as :

  • Rural to urban migration
  • international migration policy
  • role of diasporas
  • forced migration
  • integration of immigrants
  • migration and development
  • remittances
  • skilled migration / brain drain

Find out more information : http://www.essaycompetition.org/

Posted in AFRICA, ECONOMY, EDUCATION

Comments Off

South Africa History : The Archival Platform

Feb 9

Posted by

South African networking, advocacy and research initiative

The Archival platform is a civil society initiative committed to deepening democracy through the use of memory and archives as dynamic public resources. Established under the auspices of the University of Cape Town and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the Archival Platform aims to play a catalytic role in the way in which practitioners, theorists and the general public think about the archive and the ways in which the process of archiving is practised in South Africa.

The Archival Platform’s January 2011 newsletter is on their website, and you can subscribe online: http://www.archivalplatform.org/news/entry/archival_platform_january_2011/

Posted in AFRICA, AFRICA COUNTRIES, EDUCATION, HISTORY, RESEARCH, South Africa

Comments Off

Language Policy in Tanzania, Dissertation

Jan 29

Posted by

Policy processes in relation to language in Tanzania: examining shifts in policy

Abstract

The politics of globalization have played a significant role in shaping the current state of education around the world. One of the most important elements of the new global agenda involves the politics of language. In the case of the African continent and other developing nations worldwide, language policy has become one of the most contested factors linked to achieving the global imperative. Language is particularly vital because of its purported necessity in the design of developmental initiatives leading to economic recovery. In other words, the question of language has become synonymous with the politics of modernity and progress in most developing nations. Although language is sometimes overlooked, and some may very well argue insignificant, language use within a particular nation is now perhaps the single most important factor in determining its opportunities to access external economic aid from donor institutions and industrialized countries of the West. Given this premise, this study examines language policy and the important role it plays within the classroom, as well as across the educational system. This research specifically examines education policies related to language in the education system of the East African nation of Tanzania.

Get a copy of the dissertation

Download a pdf of Policy processes in relation to language in Tanzania: examining shifts in policy

Suggested Books

Posted in AFRICA, EDUCATION, Language Policy, LINGUISTICS, Tanzania

Comments Off

Tags:

← Older Posts
Newer Posts →