Opinion / Columnist
Minister Dokora are you serious?
03 Apr 2014 at 05:03hrs | Views
There is no doubt that the new constitution adopted last year has opened up political space in Matabeleland and in the country at large for the promotion of indigenous (African) languages in education.
However, recent sentiments by Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora who is a senior government official clearly highlights government"s dismal failure to prioritise the promotion of previously marginalised languages.
In his own words as quoted from a local weekly publication Southern Eye, minister Dokora said rather naively that his ministry would use temporary teachers in mother-tongue based bilingual education.
As a linguistic rights advocate, I am baffled by such statements coming from a senior government official who should otherwise suggest government"s clear strategic plan regards the promotion of indigenous languages through home language teaching and learning.
Well, if perhaps if one perceives the honourable minister"s response as impromptu since his statement was a direct response to a question in parliament, he might be pardoned for his lame suggestion which does not projects government myopic strategy in its bid to enhance previously marginalised languages.
Dear minister let me make a quick suggestion before you cost the nation with your blunder: You need to, in consultation with various stakeholders, develop a language in education plan for primary schools based on indigenous languages especially if the purpose is to shift the currently debilitating English-oriented education system towards one based on the main home languages of each province.
Thus as a short-term recommendation, I suggest that the appropriate mechanisms be put in place to make a preliminary indigenous language teaching strategy.
The following are four immediate short-term suggestions:
1. Conduct short indigenous languages training courses (workshops) for existing teachers
2. Deploy teachers according to language preferences especially the previously marginalised.
3. Introduce post-graduate studies in all indigenous languages.
4. That a preliminary implementation budget be planned for the gradual pilot extension of promotion of indigenous languages.
There you go, minister you need to think and rethink strategies that can bring tangible results in promoting indigenous languages. You should be aware minister that the promotion of indigenous languages is constitutional mandatory hence you need to be serious in fulfilling your mandate in the implementation of the Bill of Rights.
-----------------
Divine Dube is a linguistic rights advocate and writes in his personal capacity.
However, recent sentiments by Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora who is a senior government official clearly highlights government"s dismal failure to prioritise the promotion of previously marginalised languages.
In his own words as quoted from a local weekly publication Southern Eye, minister Dokora said rather naively that his ministry would use temporary teachers in mother-tongue based bilingual education.
As a linguistic rights advocate, I am baffled by such statements coming from a senior government official who should otherwise suggest government"s clear strategic plan regards the promotion of indigenous languages through home language teaching and learning.
Well, if perhaps if one perceives the honourable minister"s response as impromptu since his statement was a direct response to a question in parliament, he might be pardoned for his lame suggestion which does not projects government myopic strategy in its bid to enhance previously marginalised languages.
Thus as a short-term recommendation, I suggest that the appropriate mechanisms be put in place to make a preliminary indigenous language teaching strategy.
The following are four immediate short-term suggestions:
1. Conduct short indigenous languages training courses (workshops) for existing teachers
2. Deploy teachers according to language preferences especially the previously marginalised.
3. Introduce post-graduate studies in all indigenous languages.
4. That a preliminary implementation budget be planned for the gradual pilot extension of promotion of indigenous languages.
There you go, minister you need to think and rethink strategies that can bring tangible results in promoting indigenous languages. You should be aware minister that the promotion of indigenous languages is constitutional mandatory hence you need to be serious in fulfilling your mandate in the implementation of the Bill of Rights.
-----------------
Divine Dube is a linguistic rights advocate and writes in his personal capacity.
Source - Divine Dube wa Bango
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
