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LANGUAGE POLICY IN TANZANIA
This language policy in Tanzania states that Swahili language shall be used as the medium of instruction at the primary school level and English remain the medium of instruction from secondary level to the university level.
The government has accepted both English and Swahili to be used as official languages.
However, the status of English is confusing as it is in transition between being the foreign language and the second language that makes even Swahili in the same transition between the second language and the first language.
NB: The use of either English or Swahili as the medium of instruction has created a very hot debate since there people who support English where as other support Swahili.
ENGLISH IN SCHOOLS
At present English is used as medium of instruction in secondary schools and higher learning institution.
But there is a debate on whether English should continue with the status it has or it should be replaced by Swahili.
Let us see the different arguments people have about English out to be replaced by Swahili today.
I. Those who support the current English status.
Some of their points include the following:
1. English is a language of today’s world business so Tanzanian. So Tanzanian have to learn through it in order to function in today’s world.
2. English is a well developed language due to its long history. Swahili lacks some important vocabulary especially in science and technology.
3. Many books are written in English, so learning through English it is easier and less costly than turning to Swahili. This group of people is afraid of change because people think the government has no money for changing the medium of instruction.
4. English is everyone’s property today. It is no longer colonial language. It is spoken in different parts of the world so there is no justification of equating English with colonialism.
5. Learning through English makes a child divergent in class. A person who speaks many different languages is like a person who is living in many worlds because each language looks at the world differently from other languages. So children should learn though English so that they can explore.
Language Policy In Tanzania – English Language 1 Notes Form 5 & 6
II. People who propose the use of Swahili
The following are some of the points made.
1. English language is a foreign language making students learn through a foreign language is like colonizing their minds so we should get rid of their colonization.
2. Students learn better when they use the language they know well. Unfortunately Tanzanians do not know English well so making them continue learning through it endangers education in Tanzania.
3. Experience from developed countries reveals that students learn using their countries languages and English or other languages are learn as subjects but the medium of instruction is Korean (Hangul) these people are technologically developed. They are the ones who export television and other electronics products
4. English should be taught as subject like the way French is taught. This will improve its teaching. Currently English is very badly taught so the appeal is to improve the teaching of English.
5. Kiswahili is the language of African identity so we ought to teach using a lot if we are to cherish our heritage
6. No language is endowed with scientific knowledge so it is a myth to believe that English is the language of science and technology. Any language including Swahili can be a metalanguage of science and technology.
7. Already teachers are using code mixing. If you observe many classes you will discover that teachers speak a lot of Swahili in the class room.
So we need to formalize that use of Kiswahili
From the argument of both groups, it seems there is a language problem in Tanzania. It seems both English and Swahili are needed. The problem is the status each language is to have.
We may argue here that it is possible to teach through Swahili from primary school to University level that will be possible if the government changes its language policy in Education. This may be possible without endangering English. However there has to be some well trained teachers who will teach English.
Translation of the existing literature will not be necessary if English is taught well; this is because students who learn through Swahili will also master English provided it is taught well. Having very competent teachers is an investment so there should be purposefully effort to effect the change.
A LANGUAGE/ SPEECH COMMUNITY
This refer to a group of people who share or regard themselves as sharing the same language or language variety i.e. it is a group of people who mutually understand and hence can speak and use one particular language.
For example Swahili language community of East Africa, Bengali language community of Bangladesh, Hehe language community of Iringa region.
