News / National
End to language discrimanation, Tonga examinations celebrated
12 Nov 2015 at 01:06hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has welcomed the introduction of Tonga at the Ordinary Level (O-Level) examinations in November 2015 as a progressive step to end language discrimination and extinction of other cultures in Zimbabwe.
In a statement ZimRights National Director, Okay Machisa, called the inaugural examinations an important step in ending discrimination of the marginalised Tonga community, which must be replicated with other languages and cultures.
"ZimRights has naturally been elated by this development as we have been campaigning for the recognition of different languages across the country.
"We believe that language recognition is a great way of empowering the communities," said Machisa.
He said there is no doubt that language has an important role in advancing the basic right to education, promoting cultural rights, and end discrimination on the basis of identity, he added.
The ZimRights said in 2014, government allowed the teaching of Tonga at O level, after the language was first examined at Grade 7 level in 2011.
"The Tonga language, Chitonga or iciTonga, is a Bantu language of the Tonga people in the Zambezi Valley, covering northern parts of Zimbabwe, as well as southern and western parts of the neighbouring Zambia," reads the statement.
"The new Constitution of Zimbabwe (Amendment No. 20) recognises 16 languages instead of the previously recognised English, Shona and Ndebele, which is an important milestone."
ZimRights said the introduction of the Tonga examinations is a milestone that should be extended to the 12 remaining languages: Koisan, Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Nambya, Ndau, Shangaan, Sotho, Tswana, sign language, Venda, and Xhosa.
ZimRights said it has been working to end language discrimination by translating the Bill of Rights into various marginalised languages, including Tonga.
"The United Nations Education Cultural and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) has estimated that over half of the 6000 languages spoken today in the world may disappear by the end of the century if nothing is done to preserve them," reads the statement.
"With the disappearance of unwritten and undocumented languages, humanity would lose not only a cultural wealth but also important ancestral knowledge embedded, in particular, in indigenous languages," says UNESCO.
ZimRights said it is now eight months after the abduction of prodemocracy activist, Itai Dzamara (36), by suspected State security agents in Harare's Glen view suburb.
"Before his forced disappearance in March 2015, the activist had petitioned President Robert Mugabe over socioeconomic problems in the country, and been severally assaulted by the police," reads the statement.
In a statement ZimRights National Director, Okay Machisa, called the inaugural examinations an important step in ending discrimination of the marginalised Tonga community, which must be replicated with other languages and cultures.
"ZimRights has naturally been elated by this development as we have been campaigning for the recognition of different languages across the country.
"We believe that language recognition is a great way of empowering the communities," said Machisa.
He said there is no doubt that language has an important role in advancing the basic right to education, promoting cultural rights, and end discrimination on the basis of identity, he added.
The ZimRights said in 2014, government allowed the teaching of Tonga at O level, after the language was first examined at Grade 7 level in 2011.
"The Tonga language, Chitonga or iciTonga, is a Bantu language of the Tonga people in the Zambezi Valley, covering northern parts of Zimbabwe, as well as southern and western parts of the neighbouring Zambia," reads the statement.
ZimRights said the introduction of the Tonga examinations is a milestone that should be extended to the 12 remaining languages: Koisan, Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Nambya, Ndau, Shangaan, Sotho, Tswana, sign language, Venda, and Xhosa.
ZimRights said it has been working to end language discrimination by translating the Bill of Rights into various marginalised languages, including Tonga.
"The United Nations Education Cultural and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) has estimated that over half of the 6000 languages spoken today in the world may disappear by the end of the century if nothing is done to preserve them," reads the statement.
"With the disappearance of unwritten and undocumented languages, humanity would lose not only a cultural wealth but also important ancestral knowledge embedded, in particular, in indigenous languages," says UNESCO.
ZimRights said it is now eight months after the abduction of prodemocracy activist, Itai Dzamara (36), by suspected State security agents in Harare's Glen view suburb.
"Before his forced disappearance in March 2015, the activist had petitioned President Robert Mugabe over socioeconomic problems in the country, and been severally assaulted by the police," reads the statement.
Source - Byo24News
