Make Swahili a priority
Apr 28, 2009
OVER the years, Uganda has designed policies on promoting Kiswahili as a national language. Often, however, the policies are left to gather dust on the shelves. In 1989, an education commission headed by Prof. Ssenteza Kajubi recommended that the teaching
FROM THE EDITOR
OVER the years, Uganda has designed policies on promoting Kiswahili as a national language. Often, however, the policies are left to gather dust on the shelves. In 1989, an education commission headed by Prof. Ssenteza Kajubi recommended that the teaching and use of Kiswahili would promote greater unity, cut across tribal barriers and enhance regional cooperation.
The same recommendations were echoed in the subsequent policies, including the 1992 Government White Paper and the 2002 primary school Kiswahili syllabus that was launched by the then education minister, Kiddu Makubuya.
All the documents, however, appear abandoned. Recently during the review of the O’level syllabus, Kiswahili was excluded from the list of compulsory subjects, implying that only those who have interest will study it.
This raises the question: Just how prepared is Uganda for the East African Community? The member countries have already endorsed Kiswahili as the appropriate mode of communication, as opposed to English. Yet, Uganda is still dillydallying. How will the ordinary person do business with a Kiswahili speaking community, if there is no effort to promote the language?
For, unlike the neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania where Kiswahili is widely spoken, Uganda has over 50 languages. It is time the education ministry to commite itself to making Kiswahili compulsory in schools.
The Government also needs to put in place mechanisms to popularise the language among the out-of-school populace.
OVER the years, Uganda has designed policies on promoting Kiswahili as a national language. Often, however, the policies are left to gather dust on the shelves. In 1989, an education commission headed by Prof. Ssenteza Kajubi recommended that the teaching and use of Kiswahili would promote greater unity, cut across tribal barriers and enhance regional cooperation.
The same recommendations were echoed in the subsequent policies, including the 1992 Government White Paper and the 2002 primary school Kiswahili syllabus that was launched by the then education minister, Kiddu Makubuya.
All the documents, however, appear abandoned. Recently during the review of the O’level syllabus, Kiswahili was excluded from the list of compulsory subjects, implying that only those who have interest will study it.
This raises the question: Just how prepared is Uganda for the East African Community? The member countries have already endorsed Kiswahili as the appropriate mode of communication, as opposed to English. Yet, Uganda is still dillydallying. How will the ordinary person do business with a Kiswahili speaking community, if there is no effort to promote the language?
For, unlike the neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania where Kiswahili is widely spoken, Uganda has over 50 languages. It is time the education ministry to commite itself to making Kiswahili compulsory in schools.
The Government also needs to put in place mechanisms to popularise the language among the out-of-school populace.