English, the official language, is spoken by 3% of people as their native language. This paper examines the issue of multilingualism and the language. A critical analysis of namibia s englishonly language policy. The central concern of this paper was to find out how language policy addresses possible language conflicts in this school in.
The diversity of languages and ethnic groups as well as life circumstances makes it challenging to organize inclusive relevant education for all. Implementing inclusive education in namibian primary. Teachers, principals, teacher trainers and ministry officials need to be trained to implement inclusive education. The central concern of this paper was to find out how language policy. Language policy and planning in independent namibia.
The impact of language policy and practice on childrens learning argues that improved evidence, networking, southtosouth learning and advocacy are going to be crucial to create a focus on mothertongue education environments. English is the official language, but namibias relatively small population is extraordinarily diverse in language and culture. English replaced afrikaans as the nations official language and was chosen as the medium of instruction in schools and other educational institutions. Namibias foreign policy was crafted against the back drop of our national liberation struggle and the end of the cold war. The impact of language policy and practice on childrens. Lower primary grades and pre service teacher education. The social and economic challenges of the namibian children.
Dynamic changes have and continue to take place at the national, regional and international level with. The number of angolans in namibia declined from 2014 to 2015. Court interpreters act of 1978, which provides an interpreter to any victim, witness, or a defendant. The introduction of the decentralization policy in namibia is a home grown idea not dictated to the country by any foreign power, institution or agency. Cabinet approves revised language policy for schools. Education and language of instruction in namibia eric. On another level, there are linguistic tensions between the ethnic europeans and the black majority, mostly in regard to language instruction in schools.
Teachers views on the implementation of the english language. Namibias current language policy will, as will be argued in this paper, significantly impede progress in each of the areas that vision 2030 has targeted. This language ineducation policy document should be seen as part of a continuous process by which policy for language in education is being developed as part of a national language plan encompassing all. Views and preferences of parents, teachers and principals. Namibia, despite its scant population, is home to a wide diversity of languages, from multiple language families. When namibia was administered by south africa, afrikaans, german, and english enjoyed an equal status as official languages. The language policy for schools 19921996 and beyond.
The expectation that a language policy should enhance the development of unity in society. The successes and challenges of the namibian education system. The successes and challenges of the namibian education. It is against this background that the new policy document, titled language policy for schools in namibia, was revised. A critical analysis of namibias englishonly language policy. Katjavivi, speaker of the national assembly of the reublic of namibia founding vicechancellor of the university of namibia unam 1992 2003 at the forum of the commonwealth council on education commonwealth parliamentary association. It critically analyses the countrys education system, which. Unlock this profile with an essentials plan see the details on every language spoken in namibia, plus. This paper examines the issue of school language policy in namibia twenty years after independence. Teachers views on the implementation of the english. The impact of language policy and practice on childrens learning. Multilingualism and the language policy for namibian schools.
English is the official language, but namibia s relatively small population is extraordinarily diverse in language and culture. Namibias language policy states that english is the official language of the country and that instruction for primary learners. Afrikaans a major language is spoken by many including about 60% of the white population. This language policy, adopted by south africa at its independence in 1994 and incorporated into its 1996 constitution, is one of official multilingualism, according. To establish the university of namibia and to provide for its administration and control of affairs, for the regulation of its activities and for matters incidental thereto. The national policy guide for the junior primary phase was developed by the junior primary curriculum panel jpcp that served from september 1999 june 2001. As pointed out earlier, the vision for the decentralization policy in namibia was expressed as early as. Language policy in the subject of english, through the investigation and analysis of the grade ten english as a second language examinations results for the khomas region of namibia between the years 2007 and 2010. The namibian education minister announced a radical change in language policy, english would no longer be the medium of instruction in the lower primary phase. English as an official language and the medium of instruction in namibian schools.
Portuguese was spoken by 45% of the total population, i. Namibia now allocates more than 18% of its national budget to. This paper examines the issue of multilingualism and the. Jan 10, 2012 priscilla harris was the lead researcher on a report publish last month by the urban trust of namibia utn, a local ngo, which is highly critical of the current language education policy. Without addressing and revising namibias language policy, the governments vision for a prosperous and industrialized namibia, developed by her human resources, enjoying peace. This guide meant to support the ministerial policy documents and to guide teaching and learning in the junior primary school phase throughout namibia. Namibian education system language policy 5 things that. Policies in namibia global database on the implementation. The current language policy has been revised accordingly so that the policy is in tune with realities that prevail in namibia. Namibias language policy is poisoning its children tefl.
The study presented in this paper examined languagein education policy in a multilingual international school in namibia. About 55% of pupils in namibia speak an oshiwambo language at home. Language policy and planning in botswana, malawi, mozambique and south africa. The language policy for schools in namibia ministry of education. The constitutional provision and other legislations in namibia paved the way for free universal primary education. Language planning and policy arise out of sociopolitical situations where, for example, speakers of various languages compete for resources or where a particular linguistic minority is denied access to basic rights. The agreed policy was issued in the document education and culture in namibia. To begin with, i believe that the effects of the colonialist rules of germany and south africa must be considered.
The children are now expected to learn and that includes learning. The language of instruction is a debated topic and forms a different challenge in urban and rural areas. German which is a foreign language is also spoken by about 32% of the population. However, the language is spoken by less than 1% of the population of the country as their native language. The report provides a critical evidence base for responding to the changing development context. The context of namibias social and economic transformation efforts is described in the namibia vision 2030, a longterm policy document for national development, which was published in 2004. Pdf challenges facing the development of namibian languages. All indigenous languages are presently regarded as equal, regardless of the number of speakers or the level of development of a particular language. Apr 25, 2014 the namibian education minister announced a radical change in language policy, english would no longer be the medium of instruction in the lower primary phase. The social and economic challenges of the namibian. This research note is a critique of malawis new language of instruction loi policy. South africa is a multilingual society that has some unique linguistic problems because of its policy of apartheid. As mentioned above, english is the official language of namibia.
The study presented in this paper examined language in education policy in a multilingual international school in namibia. Goal the language education policy provides direction for the treatment of language issues in the jamaican educational context, in order to improve language and literacy. Languages spoken in namibia languages spoken in namibia gov. Although it does not border zimbabwe, less than 200 metres of the zambezi river separates the two countries. The implementation of the namibian language policy in. Many learners did not have the opportunity to learn through their mother tongues, and many schools did not offer namibian indigenous languages as subjects for. A new, learnercentered curriculum for grades 1 to 12 was. Priscilla harris was the lead researcher on a report publish last month by the urban trust of namibia utn, a local ngo, which is highly. The development of the language policy took into account the fact that namibia is a multilingual society with fourteen 14 written languages used in school, in addition to the sign language education management information system emis, 2015. Quality of education is a source of much concern in namibia.
Among the whites of namibia, 60% speak the afrikaans languages. This is the first principle and the central objective of the policy and, indeed, of namibias diplomacy. The substudies focus on issues ranging from language choice, proficiency levels in the namibian languages to other aspects around teacher education and development. This policy instructed that students should be taught. As pointed out earlier, the vision for the decentralization policy in namibia was expressed as early as 1989 by the now ruling party, the south. The intergovernmental conference on language policies in africa, which was held in harare zimbabwe from 17 21 march 1997, was the first meeting of its kind involving language specialists attending as governmental experts and doing the preparatory work for and advising. Implementing universal primary education in namibia. Public policies national planning commission of namibia.
Teachers are paid well in namibia, and it is a highly soughtafter job. Even where there is a formal written language policy, its effect on language practices is neither guaranteed nor consistent. Prevention, control and treatment of vitamin a deficiency policy guidelines. The challenges facing language policy and planning4 in namibia are the product of a range of historical factors over a period of more than twenty years. It is about power, identity, opportunities, and, above all, passion and nationalism. Namibia as a young nation, and faces socioeconomic challenges i n. This languageineducation policy document should be seen as part of a continuous process by which policy for language in education is being developed as part of a national language plan encompassing all. Implementation of the government of the republic of namibias. Policy is a reflection of the countrys history and its aspirations for the future. The policy reaffirms the need for mother tongue instruction at.
More than 11 languages are indigenous to namibia but with its cosmopolitan society, languages from around the world are spoken in namibia. The new policy stipulates english as the medium of instruction from the first year standard 1 of primary school in a country where english is not the dominant language of household communication. Language in education policy in terms of section 34m of the national education policy act, 1996 act 27 of 1996 5. The language policy for schools in namibia early literacy. Another critical gap is the capacity of professionals. It critically analyses the countrys education system, which is shaped by the hegemony of english. English remains the official language of namibia although several other foreign and local languages are spoken in namibia today.
Namibias language policy is poisoning its children. According to the 2011 namibia population and housing census main report, the median age of people in namibia is 21, but in kavango region the median age is 18, meaning that exactly half of the population is younger than 18 in our region. This policy was detailed in a document entitled the language policy for schools. Implementing universal primary education in namibia trends. The p roblematic situat ion of namibia language use policy is therefore sociopolitical and policy related. Multilingualism and the language policy for namibian. The major policy document of the then liberation movement swapo, toward a language policy for an independent namibia united nations institute for namibia 1981, which was published in lusaka by the institute unin as proceedings of a seminar held in 1980, essentially set the trend for the policies pursued since independence in 1990. Inclusive education is where the impact inclusive education. Jun 23, 2015 according to the 2011 namibia population and housing census main report, the median age of people in namibia is 21, but in kavango region the median age is 18, meaning that exactly half of the population is younger than 18 in our region. Multilingualism and the language policy for namibian schools andreejeanne totemeyer praesa occasional papers no. Upon namibian independence in 1990, english was enshrined as the nations sole. Studiesinthelinguisticsciences volume28,number 1spring1998 africanlanguages,english,andeducationalpolicy innamibia joyceb. Language in education when namibia became independent, the ministry of education and culture felt that it was necessary to formulate a new language policy for schools.
Namibia as a young nation, and faces socioeconomic challenges i n its development needs to. English as a language of wider communication will only further enhance greater participation in social welfare activities. It was then concluded that english should be the main language of instruction from the fourth grade upwards. The economic crisis in the neighbouring country affected the numbers. Implementing inclusive education in namibian primary schools. On one level, there are tensions between its two official language groups, afrikaans and english.
As the countrys first education policy towards education for all. During the past five decades chinas language engineering projects transformed its linguistic landscape, affecting over one billion peoples lives, including both the majority and minority populations. Pdf the study presented in this paper examined languagein education policy in a multilingual international school in namibia. Language policy in namibia namibia is a multilingual and culturally diverse country. Namibia has, however, integrated learners with disabilities into the public school system they are integrated into mainstream schools as appropriate. The namibia vision 2030 hopes to create a prosperous, industrialised namibia, developed by her human resources, enjoying peace.