Teach Mathematics in Ndebele and Shona - Chinotimba

Zanu-PF MP Joseph Chinotimba has demanded that Ndebele and Shona be used to teach mathematics, saying students are failing because of English language which they don't understand.

Chinotimba raised the matter in Parliament on Wednesday.

"My question is directed to the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Hon. Dokora. If you go to China, the people in China learn Chinese until they attain their degrees. The same applies to Yugoslavia and Cuba.

"My question is when are we going to respect our local languages such as Shona and Ndebele so that we are able to work mathematical problems either in Ndebele or in Shona?

"When are we ever going to reach that stage because our people are failing examinations because they are using a language that is foreign to them? Those that are from the east come here and they will be speaking Chinese. They are building structures here yet they are good at it. When are we going to change our mindset so that our education is administered in our local language for our children?."

Dokora said: "In his question I get the chance to explain to this august House that we now have the position that has been agreed to by the Cabinet Committee in terms of how four year olds up to Grade 2 are to be instructed at school. They will be instructed in the languages that have been accepted in our Constitution. That is the focus that we are now going to take and those are the steps that we are going to implement. We now have teachers that are advancing themselves in those languages such as Nambya, Tonga, Shangani, Venda and other languages.

"The advancement in languages is also part of development. It is a process and not an event. Even the English language that we speak in this country proficiently did not start as the English language that we have known. It is dynamic and it borrows from other languages and it was perfected. My Ministry is not alone in doing that. We work hand in glove with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development so that there is development in our language."

Dokora said as a Ministry, they  have started the process by accepting the languages that are stated in Constitution so that they can now be used as official languages, ‘but it is not our duty alone to ensure that these languages are promoted'.