Rwanda to use English in schools. What's wrong with Swahili or French?

[Masanja]

Hivi wazee kiswahili na kiingereza haviwezi ku-coexist?

Kawa walivyosema wenzangu hapo juu, bwana dunia ya leo bila kidhungu you are out! Mkandara ana hoja nzuri sana, lakini sadly, practicalities za hoja zake ni ngumu sana kwa ulimwengu tunaoishi....

Tanzania ni nchi masikini, kila kitu mpaka sindano kinatolewa nje, sasa mkuu hicho kiswahili ambacho tukikisoma kuanzia chekechea mpaka chuo kikuu..kitatusaidia vipi? Ungeniambia kwamba kuna kazi za wavumbuzi wetu wanalazimika kuzitoa katika kiingereza ningesema haya..sasa ni uvumbuzi upi tunafanya? we are just beggars..hiki kiswahili..watu wanapiga kele tuu..lakini hata wao hawayaamini maneno yao...Tuache ndoto za alinacha kwamba ubepari unashindwa, kwamba USA inadondoka...(hizo ni ndoto za akina Chavez na wenzake) Ukweli ni kwamba we are still depending on the western world-big time. Hata China (au India) na lugha yao..ni wachina wangapi wanakwenda kusoma vyuo vya USA au UK bila kujua kiingereza? na mind you ni thousands of Chinese students wanaoenda huko magharibi kila mwaka...ila wanajua kichina na wanaweka bidii ya kujifunza kiingereza (kama hujui..ofcourse hutapata admission). Well aware that PhD ya MIT au Princeton huwezi kuilinganisha na ya Shanghai University! Kwa hiyo to me kiingereza bado kina nafasi kubwa sana ya kushape maisha ya dunia ya leo.

Labda nishauri kwamba serikali ichukue juhudi za maksudi kuhakikisha kiswahili hakimezwi na kiingereza. Kwamba masomo yote yaende sambamba. Kadri tunavyokua kiuchumi tunaweza kubadilisha mitaala yetu kuhakikisha kiswahili kinatufaa mbeleni. Kwa sasa kuniambia kwamba tusome kiswahili kuanzia darasa la kwanza ni kuniambia niwe mzalendo kwa nchi yangu, bila mimi kujiangalia.

Kifaransa is just a dead language, France is just suffering from colonial hangover. Ni wapi utakapoomba kazi..ukapewa sharti la kujua kifaransa zaidi ya UN? (and there thousands katika UN ambao hata hiyo French hawajui)! Ni rahisi kukuta mtu anayeongea Kiingereza hajui kifaransa..but si rahisi kukuta mtu anayongea kifaransa hajui kiingereza. Dunia ya leo? wanaweza kuwepo lakini ni huko huko vijijini Ufaransa!

So uamuzi wa Kagame ni safi sana na unastahili kupongezwa. Kwani Kinyarwanda kipo tuu na hakuna atakayezaliwa Rwanda..aeti asijue kinyarwanda kwa kuwa siyo medium language. We mtu na umaskini wako kama Rwanda..leo uanze kuflex muscle eti kiingereza hakifai? wakati hata calculator ni ya kiingereza?

Hii dhana eti watu wanafeli form four kwa ajili ya kiingereza nadhani ni POTOFU. hamjajiuliza kwanini wanafunzi wanapata F YA KISWAHILI? ambayo ni lugha tunayoijua?

 

[JokaKuu]

Mkandara,

..kuna watoto wengi tu mikoani ambao lugha yao ya kwanza siyo Kiswahili.

..kwa kifupi hao huanza kufundishwa kiswahili wanapoandikishwa shuleni.

..zaidi tofautisha kujua lugha, na kuelemika au kuwa na ujuzi fulani.

..umeeleza kwamba kuna vijana wanazungumza Kingereza vizuri lakini unapowasikiliza hoja zao unakuta ni 'wepesi' mno. jambo hilo linaweza kutokea kwa mzungumzaji wa lugha yoyote ile.

Masanja,

..umeuliza swali zuri sana, kama Kiswahili na Kiingereza vinaweza ku-coexist.

..lakini suala linabaki palepale: kwamba, ni lugha ipi iwe na prominence zaidi ya nyingine ktk kufundisha mashuleni?

..niendelee kudodosa ni faida gani tumepata tangu Kiswahili kiwe medium of instruction?

..vilevile tulipata faida gani wakati ule ambapo Kiingereza kilikuwa medium of instruction?

..mwisho, under which system have we gained more?

..how should we move forward?

 

[Kitila Mkumbo]

Tatizo la utetezi wa Kiswahili upo based kwenye mapenzi ya uzalendo na utamaduni (cultural romanticism), na sio kwenye ushahidi kwamba ukisoma kiswahili utapate elimu kirahisi zaidi. Kuna utafiti ulifanyika Tanzania. Vijana wakapigwa shule kwa Kiswahili, halafu tena kwa Kiingereza. Kisha wakapewa mitihani kwa lugha zote mbili. Wengi walifanya vizuri kwa masomo yaliyotahiniwa kwa lugha ya kiingereza kuliko kiswahili. In fact hata katika masomo haya mawali, walifanya vizuri zaidi kwenye somo la kiingereza kuliko kiswahili.

Kwa hiyo tunapotetea matumizi ya kiswahili tutetee kwa sababu pengine tunakipenda sana kiswahili, lakini sio kwa sababu itawasaidia vijana wetu kujifunza vizuri zaidi.

Mwisho, kuna watu wanajidanganya sana kwamba kiswahili ni lugha ya kwanza. Hapana, wengi wetu, nikiwemo mimi, tumejifunza kiswahili tulipoenda shuleni. Kiswahili ni lugha ya pili, na kiingereza ni ya tatu. Hii ina maana kwamba tunaweza kujifunza lugha zote mbili tukiamua bila matatizo yeyote. Tatizo tunaingiza siasa na tunafikiri kukitetea kiswahili ndio uzalendo hata kama huku nyuma tunahamisha migodi yetu. Mwalimu alikwisha tuambie "English is the Kiswahili of the world", hakikwepeki. Sisi tuendelee kubishana wakati mwenzetu Kagame anakata mbuga, tutakaposhtuka hatumpati. Tutaanza kuwafukuza wanyarwanda, ooh wanakuja kuchukua kazi, ardhi yetu n.k., kumbe ni uswahili wetu wa kubishana hata kwenye mambo ambayo yapo wazi kabisa!

Kibaya zaidi wale watetezi wa Kiswahili ninaowajua kama lugha ya kufundishia mashuleni watoto wao wanawasomesha nje ya nchi kwenye hizo English medium schools, ikiwemo Uganda na Kenya. Wanataka tuendelea kuwa na watanzania wachache tu wanaojua kiingereza. Kama sio roho mbaya ni nini hasa?

 

[Njimba Nsalilwe]

Kibaya zaidi wale watetezi wa Kiswahili ninaowajua kama lugha ya kufundishia mashuleni watoto wao wanawasomesha nje ya nchi kwenye hizo English medium schools, ikiwemo Uganda na Kenya. Wanataka tuendelea kuwa na watanzania wachache tu wanaojua kiingereza. Kama sio roho mbaya ni nini hasa?

Mkuu Kitila, Big up!

Hapo juu umesema yote, huo ndio ukweli wenyewe tuache kujidangaya. Tazama jinsi gani shule za english medium zinavyoota kama uyoga na zote ukiuliza ada yake kwa mwaka iko juu sana. Pamoja na ada kuwa juu kupata nafasi katika baadhi ya hizi shule ni vigumu sana, competition iko juu sana. Pamoja na mahela yako hupati nafasi. Hii inashiria nini?

Watanzania wenzangu hebu tuwe wakweli, hata hicho kiswahili tunachokiongea je ni kizuri? Kiswahili nacho kinatushinda. Tuache kujidanganya Kiswahili kibaki kama lugha na nguvu nyingi tuwekeze kwenye Kingereza kwa maslahi ya kizazi kijacho.

Nawakilisha

Njimba

 

[LazyDog]

Tatizo la utetezi wa Kiswahili upo based kwenye mapenzi ya uzalendo na utamaduni (cultural romanticism), na sio kwenye ushahidi kwamba ukisoma kiswahili utapate elimu kirahisi zaidi. Kuna utafiti ulifanyika Tanzania. Vijana wakapigwa shule kwa Kiswahili, halafu tena kwa Kiingereza. Kisha wakapewa mitihani kwa lugha zote mbili. Wengi walifanya vizuri kwa masomo yaliyotahiniwa kwa lugha ya kiingereza kuliko kiswahili. In fact hata katika masomo haya mawali, walifanya vizuri zaidi kwenye somo la kiingereza kuliko kiswahili.

Kwa hiyo tunapotetea matumizi ya kiswahili tutetee kwa sababu pengine tunakipenda sana kiswahili, lakini sio kwa sababu itawasaidia vijana wetu kujifunza vizuri zaidi.

Mwisho, kuna watu wanajidanganya sana kwamba kiswahili ni lugha ya kwanza. Hapana, wengi wetu, nikiwemo mimi, tumejifunza kiswahili tulipoenda shuleni. Kiswahili ni lugha ya pili, na kiingereza ni ya tatu. Hii ina maana kwamba tunaweza kujifunza lugha zote mbili tukiamua bila matatizo yeyote. Tatizo tunaingiza siasa na tunafikiri kukitetea kiswahili ndio uzalendo hata kama huku nyuma tunahamisha migodi yetu. Mwalimu alikwisha tuambie "English is the Kiswahili of the world", hakikwepeki. Sisi tuendelee kubishana wakati mwenzetu Kagame anakata mbuga, tutakaposhtuka hatumpati. Tutaanza kuwafukuza wanyarwanda, ooh wanakuja kuchukua kazi, ardhi yetu n.k., kumbe ni uswahili wetu wa kubishana hata kwenye mambo ambayo yapo wazi kabisa!

Kibaya zaidi wale watetezi wa Kiswahili ninaowajua kama lugha ya kufundishia mashuleni watoto wao wanawasomesha nje ya nchi kwenye hizo English medium schools, ikiwemo Uganda na Kenya. Wanataka tuendelea kuwa na watanzania wachache tu wanaojua kiingereza. Kama sio roho mbaya ni nini hasa?

Nataka kuamini kwamba wanasiasa wanapingana na wataalam hata tushindwe kufanya uamuzi sahihi.

Kwenye huo utafiti ulotaja, mbona kuna professor wa Scandinavia alieleza kilicho kinyume na maelezo yako? (Kuna post imo humu JF)



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[Kijakazi]

Tatizo la utetezi wa Kiswahili upo based kwenye mapenzi ya uzalendo na utamaduni (cultural romanticism), na sio kwenye ushahidi kwamba ukisoma kiswahili utapate elimu kirahisi zaidi. Kuna utafiti ulifanyika Tanzania. Vijana wakapigwa shule kwa Kiswahili, halafu tena kwa Kiingereza. Kisha wakapewa mitihani kwa lugha zote mbili. Wengi walifanya vizuri kwa masomo yaliyotahiniwa kwa lugha ya kiingereza kuliko kiswahili. In fact hata katika masomo haya mawali, walifanya vizuri zaidi kwenye somo la kiingereza kuliko kiswahili.

wewe acha uongo lete huo utafiti na useme ulifanywa wapi na nani na lini???
unaongea UONGO kwanza kutokana utafiti ambao umekuwa ukifanyika siku zote ni kinyume na wewe unachosema..
Hilo unalolisema haliwezekani. Haiwezekani mtoto wa kitanzania akipewa chaguo la kutumia lugha kati ya kiswahili na kiingereza akafanya vizuri kiingereza huo ni UONGO! Ni uongo kwa maana unachotaka kusema hapa ni kwamba mtoto wa kitanzania anauerevu mkubwa wa kiingereza kuliko kiswahili? Mimi nasema tena weka hapa huo utafiti na ulifanywa lini...

 

[Materanus]

Watanzania tuko milioni 36(sensor ya mwisho) tunaamani ya kumwaga na tunawasiliana kwa lugha moja, tatizo letu nini mbona mimi naona tunasilaha kubwa tu ya maendeleo? Maendeleo hayaletwi na kiingereza, bali kinyume chake(nnavyo fikiri mimi). Tukiweza kujimobilize sisi wenyewe, katika nyanja tofauti za ndani, mfano kilimo, tu utilize masoko ya ndani kiuhakika, utalii wa ndani ya nchi unaweza kutuletea faida kubwa sana. Wapo watanzania kibao ambao hawajawahi kumwona simba, tembo wala twiga, tena asilimia kubwa tu. tunamadini uvuvi nk. Serekali ikisimamia na kuboresha miradi hiyo, pamoja na kukusanya kodi, basi limbikizo tutaanza kulidadi kwa majirani zetu ambao na wanaongea kiswahili kama sisi. Tututake advantage ya kazi zitakazo patikana kuwafundisha wenzetu kiswahili, tutanuwe wigo wa soko la Afrika mashariki, watuuzie tuwauzie,(mazao, madini, bidhaa za viwandani na utalii). Ujue hapo tunazungumzia soko la zaidi ya milioni mia na zaidi. Tufanye kiswahili kuwa silaha yetu kubwa, kwa maendeleo yetu wenyewe. Ndugu zanguni soko la Afrika Mashariki jumla Rwanda na Burundi imagine that. Tungelikuwa na busara tungejivunia sana Kiswahili, lakini naona ndugu zangu wanakiponda yaaani nachoka. Kiingereza ndicho kilicho tufikisha hapo tulipo, yaani kurudisha maendeleo yetu nyuma kwani vioongozi wetu wote wa mwanzo(hao mababa wa taifa) walipelekwa kusoma kiingereza, kisha wakajakupewa nchi kuziongoza. Walichofanya ni kuingia mikataba na wenyekiingereza chao, na kuuza kilakitu nje ya nchi. Masoko ya ndani wakayasahau wakawa tegemezi wa masoko hayo, yalipo crash(kwa makusudi) moto ukawawakia matokeo yake wakageuka madikteta. Nchi za Japan, Korea kusini, Singapore zimepiga hatua mbele, hazina kiingereza, bali zina masoko makubwa ya ndani. Kiingereza sio kigezo cha maendeleo, ingekuwa hivyo Uingereza ingepata maendeleo ya ajabu, lakini maendeleo ya Uingereza ni kwasababu ya kuyanyonya makoloni yake, tangu karne hiyo mpaka kesho. Kagame anafikiri kunafaida ya kujua kiingereza, awaulize Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda ambao wako karibu nae wamefaidika nini? Nchi za Scandinavia ambazo ndizo zinazoongoza kwa maendeleo ya kweli duniani, hazina kiingereza. Na wanajidai sana na soko lao, ambalo halifiki robo ya Afrika Mashariki na Kati. Hawana madini kabisaaa, kwaajili ya baridi hawana mazao ya muhimu, hawana mbuga za wanyama. Hawa ni wateja wetu wa ziada, halafu hawana jinsi lazima waje tu, watamuona wapi simba? Kwasabau ya baridi watakunywa tu kahawa, yaani hawana pakutokea. Nchi za Sweden, Denmark, Norway huwa wanawafundisha raia wao lugha za sehemu wanazo kwenda, sasa kwanini tusijidai kwahilo? Ndugu zanguni tatizo letu sio kiswahili, bali nimambo mengine tu ndio yanayo tukwamisha, ingekuwa vizuri kama tungekaa chini tukaangalia, tukakuana vichwa tatizo liko wapi? Kiingereza kimetufyoonza, maliasili yetu nakinaendelea kutufyoonza mpaka kesho kinafaida kweli, kiswahili hakina faida ukiangalia kijujuu, lakini......hebu fungueni macho jamani.

 

[LazyDog]

Tatizo la utetezi wa Kiswahili upo based kwenye mapenzi ya uzalendo na utamaduni (cultural romanticism), na sio kwenye ushahidi kwamba ukisoma kiswahili utapate elimu kirahisi zaidi. Kuna utafiti ulifanyika Tanzania. Vijana wakapigwa shule kwa Kiswahili, halafu tena kwa Kiingereza. Kisha wakapewa mitihani kwa lugha zote mbili. Wengi walifanya vizuri kwa masomo yaliyotahiniwa kwa lugha ya kiingereza kuliko kiswahili. In fact hata katika masomo haya mawali, walifanya vizuri zaidi kwenye somo la kiingereza kuliko kiswahili.

Kwa hiyo tunapotetea matumizi ya kiswahili tutetee kwa sababu pengine tunakipenda sana kiswahili, lakini sio kwa sababu itawasaidia vijana wetu kujifunza vizuri zaidi.

Mwisho, kuna watu wanajidanganya sana kwamba kiswahili ni lugha ya kwanza. Hapana, wengi wetu, nikiwemo mimi, tumejifunza kiswahili tulipoenda shuleni. Kiswahili ni lugha ya pili, na kiingereza ni ya tatu. Hii ina maana kwamba tunaweza kujifunza lugha zote mbili tukiamua bila matatizo yeyote. Tatizo tunaingiza siasa na tunafikiri kukitetea kiswahili ndio uzalendo hata kama huku nyuma tunahamisha migodi yetu. Mwalimu alikwisha tuambie "English is the Kiswahili of the world", hakikwepeki. Sisi tuendelee kubishana wakati mwenzetu Kagame anakata mbuga, tutakaposhtuka hatumpati. Tutaanza kuwafukuza wanyarwanda, ooh wanakuja kuchukua kazi, ardhi yetu n.k., kumbe ni uswahili wetu wa kubishana hata kwenye mambo ambayo yapo wazi kabisa!

Nina mashaka sana na unachokisema Bw. Kitila. Una kumbukumbu zozote ni wapi huo utafiti ulifanyika au nani walishiriki (taasisi fulani labda)?

Kwanini unataka tuamini kwamba leo hii kiswahili ni lugha ya pili mtoto wa kitanzania kujifunza na si ya kwanza?

Kibaya zaidi wale watetezi wa Kiswahili ninaowajua kama lugha ya kufundishia mashuleni watoto wao wanawasomesha nje ya nchi kwenye hizo English medium schools, ikiwemo Uganda na Kenya. Wanataka tuendelea kuwa na watanzania wachache tu wanaojua kiingereza. Kama sio roho mbaya ni nini hasa?

Kudorora kwa kiwango cha elimu Tanzania ndio kinapelekea watu kuwasomesha watoto wao nje au English medium schools. Kiingereza kutumika kama language of instruction kwenye shule hizo sio sababu. Anayetumia kigezo hicho pekee ni zuzu.

"English is the Kiswahili of the world"

Yes, in the meantime that is the case. Hata hivyo, kiswahili kikitumika kama language of instruction haitazuia mwanafunzi ashindwe kutumia kiingereza kwa ufasaha.


Kinachosemwa hapa kinapingana na kauli yako.
Kiswahili, Norwegian or English as a Language of instruction?



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[Materanus]

Kagame anabusara sana, kaangalia historia ya watusi na wahutu, kimsingi wao ni watu wamoja, yaani kabila moja( wana share lugha moja, mila na desturi zao ni sawa) Historia inaonyesha Wabelgiji na kifaransa chao ndio walio watenganisha. Hivyo basi, kufuta kifansa na kuanzisha kiingereza ni kujaribu kuwanganisha tena wahutu na watusi wawe watu wamoja tena.
Kwa upande wa kiswahili, Japo ni lugha kubwa sana ukilinganisha na kiswidi, Kidenmark, kiholanzi na hata kinorway, lakini Kagame kaona bado ni lugha ambayo inachechemea, tena bado wadau wanalumbana huko kiswahili kilipo zaliwa(Tanzania). Japo kiswahili kinakuwa kwa kasi lakini muheshimiwa huyo sio mtu wa kukurupuka.
Kazi tunayo sisi wenye kiswahili chetu, tusipo tambua umuhimu wa kukikuza kiswahili, na kuanza kukitumia hata mashuleni basi watu au nchi nyingine hawawezi kukiona cha maana. Mi nadhani kiswahili kinaweza kuwa mtaji kwa watanzania, tufumbue macho before its tooo late.

 

[LazyDog]

Kagame anabusara sana, kaangalia historia ya watusi na wahutu, kimsingi wao ni watu wamoja, yaani kabila moja( wana share lugha moja, mila na desturi zao ni sawa) Historia inaonyesha Wabelgiji na kifaransa chao ndio walio watenganisha. Hivyo basi, kufuta kifansa na kuanzisha kiingereza ni kujaribu kuwanganisha tena wahutu na watusi wawe watu wamoja tena.
Kwa upande wa kiswahili, Japo ni lugha kubwa sana ukilinganisha na kiswidi, Kidenmark, kiholanzi na hata kinorway, lakini Kagame kaona bado ni lugha ambayo inachechemea, tena bado wadau wanalumbana huko kiswahili kilipo zaliwa(Tanzania). Japo kiswahili kinakuwa kwa kasi lakini muheshimiwa huyo sio mtu wa kukurupuka.
Kazi tunayo sisi wenye kiswahili chetu, tusipo tambua umuhimu wa kukikuza kiswahili, na kuanza kukitumia hata mashuleni basi watu au nchi nyingine hawawezi kukiona cha maana. Mi nadhani kiswahili kinaweza kuwa mtaji kwa watanzania, tufumbue macho before its tooo late.

I think so too.



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[Materanus]

Globalization, world economy, world market au capitalism hatma yake imefika mwisho. Ni mambo mawili yanaweza kutokea, congeress inaweza kubail out the situation, but for a while then crash again, or let capitalism fall for good and then start again from the bottom. but at the moment it capitalism has hit its highest point, there is no way out.
Lakini globalization, world economy and capitalism vinahusiana vipi na kiswahili kutoleta maendeleo tanzania, au kiingereza kuleta maendeleo Tanzania ? inanisikitisha kujadili nje ya mjadala.
Mifano inaonyesha kuwa nchi zinazoendelea zilizopata maendeleo, kiingereza siyo hata hata lugha ya pili, sasa wasomi wetu na wadau mnaopigia debe kiingereza, je mnavigezo gani? International schools?

 

[pipo]

IF you look at it, it makes a lot of sense for Rwanda to switch to English and ditch French. Kwanza, Rwanda imepakana na nchi zinazozungumza kingereza, nchi za Africa Mashariki. Hizi ndio nchi ambazo zinafanya zinamuingiliano wa kiuchumi na kisiasa na nchi ya Rwanda. Kwa hiyo ni jambo la maana kuweza kuimarisha mawasiliano na nchi hizi kwa kutumia kingereza.
Pili, swala la kutumia kiswahili lingekuwa zuri pia lakini kwa sasa kingereza kinatumiwa na wengi katika Afrika Mashariki. Baadhi ya Waganda na Wakenya hawajui kiswahili vizuri lakini wanajua kingereza. Kwa hiyo mimi naonelea kwamba uamuzi wa kufundisha kingereza kwa sasa ni wa manufaa kwa wanyarwanda. Wanaweza wakaanza kujifunza kiswahili mbeleni, kama ikiwalazimu.

 

[LazyDog]

Masanja,

..umeuliza swali zuri sana, kama Kiswahili na Kiingereza vinaweza ku-coexist.

..lakini suala linabaki palepale: kwamba, ni lugha ipi iwe na prominence zaidi ya nyingine ktk kufundisha mashuleni?

..niendelee kudodosa ni faida gani tumepata tangu Kiswahili kiwe medium of instruction?

..vilevile tulipata faida gani wakati ule ambapo Kiingereza kilikuwa medium of instruction?

..mwisho, under which system have we gained more?

..how should we move forward?

Inabidi ifanyike kazi ya kusaka information zenye kutoa mwanga kupata majibu ya maswali yako. Tunahitaji kuambatanisha uthibitisho toka publications za linguists waliofanya research kuhusiana na swala hili; Sina hamu kabisa na wanasiasa hususan wanasiasa wa Bongo. They have failed us!


Nataka sana kujua nini kimepekelea Rwanda kufikia uamuzi huu.




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[LazyDog]

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Are we taught to know or ignore?

The language debate has gained new momentum. However, its main theme is the same: the usage of Kiswahili as a medium of instruction in our entire education system. Its key players are also the same: politicians and professionals.

It is one thing to gain new momentum. It is another thing to get new direction. This ought to be our concern as we join another round of the seemingly never-ending debate. We need to be clear about the ground that has been covered and pitfalls that remain to be filled.

The parliamentary debate in the August assembly gives us a glimpse. The deputy leader of the opposition camp asked if the Ministry of Information, Sports and Culture had a timeframe for switching to Kiswahili as a medium of instruction in the education system. Echoing the clarification given by the Minister of Education and Vocational Training in April, the deputy minister of the former ministry affirmed that the government has not yet decided.

It was reported that the deputy minister went on to stress that deciding to use Kiswahili is a complex issue. As such, it involves a number of stakeholders. Hence his ministry was in the process of communicating with other ministries so as to reach a collective decision. However, he cautioned that the change would be expensive and take time.

What is particularly striking is that the debate seems to depart from its traditional deadlock. Here I am referring to the Kiswahili versus English argumentation which has bedeviled it for quite some time. It appears as if the debate is no longer stuck on whether we should either stick to English or switch to Kiswahili. Hence it is tempting to conclude that it is heading toward the direction of how and when - rather than why - should we effect the change.

To the optimist advocates of the use of a language that can easily be understood and hence transfer knowledge readily, the change of direction could be a promising restart. However, for pessimist advocates of the same course, this could be another doomed false start.

Optimists may assert that yielding to Kiswahili is an outcome of research influence. These include pioneering studies under the aegis of Baraza la Kiswahili Tanzania (BAKITA) and relatively new ones under the Language of Instruction in Tanzania and South Africa (LOITASA) project. All have consistently shown that there is little, if any, knowledge transfer between most teachers and students due to mutual limited English proficiency.

Pessimists might argue that we have been there before. As an example, they could cite the 1983 controversial policy revert to English at the eleventh hour. English still reigns, they may add, even though this is the tenth year since the 1997 Cultural Policy stated that a “special plan to enable the use of Kiswahili as a medium of instruction in education and training at all levels shall be designed and implemented.”

It is quite possible that politicians and policymakers are overwhelmed with the weight of evidence regarding the importance of switching to Kiswahili. Most of them have gone through the same Babel and can therefore relate to its reality. If I was one of them I wouldn’t need any more evidence than my own experience to be convinced.

One day my teacher wrote this definition on the blackboard: “Species are groups of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile of spring.” I knew the meanings of fertile and spring. But I couldn’t figure out how they fit in. Anyway, I memorized and reproduced it in the examination. As you can guess, I got it right.

It was only later, much later, when I came to know what species are. Actually, they produce fertile offspring. I don’t know whether it was my teacher’s fault or mine. What I know is that as a boy I frustratingly tried to breed fish. But, alas, they produced infertile offspring! I didn’t know why. What a missed opportunity to relate what I was taught with what I practiced! I wonder if my teacher taught what she knew.

Teaching is primarily about imparting knowledge. When you teach someone to cook ugali what matters mostly is that s/he ends up knowing how to cook ugali. Language is only a medium to facilitate knowledge exchange. And the efficient medium is the one that knowledge users know reasonably well.

Could it be that we have politicized language at the expense of professionalizing it. Are we trying too hard to know the form to the extent that we ignore the content?

Author: Chambi Chachage
Source: The Citizen 17/08/07

 

[Ndahani]

Kwangu mimi, One thing is certain about Rwanda...they know what they do.

 

[Caroline Danzi]

Humu ndani kuna zaidi ya burudani. Hivi mbona hamshangai shule za tanzania kufundisha kifaransa kuanzia chekechea au hamjui. nafikir ni nzuri maana hata tulipo kuna watu tunaenda kujifunza kifaransa ukubwani kwa sababu ya kazi inakulazimisha ufanye hivyo.

Logic yao kufundisha kiingereza ni competing purpose na wameona kuna vitu vinakosekana bila kiingereza. Hakuna kitu cha kushangaza au ukaona eti hakuna fikira iliyotumika au ulimbukeni ni mwingi zaidi.

 

[Zogwale]

Kudos Rwanda. English ni International language, mbona Kenya na Uganda wako fluent in English na kiswahili wanafahamu japo kwa Uganda si sana. Nawapongeza wale wa hapa Dar ambao wamenza pia kufundisha French kuanzia grade 3 (private lower schools). Binafsi kufahamu lugha zaid ya moja za kimataifa is an added advantage mnoooooo hasa kama utataka ufanye kazi mashirika ya kimataifa!!!! Kiona mbali.

 

[Soulbrother]

ili tuendelee inabidi tuelewe kuwa lugha ya kimataifa sio kiswahili ni kiingereza.... tukuze kiswahili lakini tukipe kiingereza kipa umbele kwani ndio lugha ya biashara kimataifa