Challenges facing the development of namibian languages. Policy on pregnancy among learners in schools draft dated 25 may 1997 1. Some officials, even within the ministry of education, believe that the policy was meant to promote instruction in english over local languages. Language ineducation policy was implemented in all educational regions. The namibian reported this month that education minister katrina hansehimarwa said parents should not leave the financial responsibility of schools up to the administration, but should contribute. Academic writing for postgraduate students, english for academic purposes, english communication and study skills, english for general communications and english for certificate.
Without addressing and revising namibia s language policy, the governments vision for a prosperous and industrialized namibia, developed by her human resources, enjoying peace. Whereas walvis bay and the offshore islands in terms of article i4 of the namibian constitution are part of the national territory of namibia. The role of english, a european language without a colonial history in namibia, and now the official language, is also discussed. The article contains a description of the namibian languages, the language policy and the status of the languages in namibian. Pdf the study presented in this paper examined languagein education policy in a multilingual international school in namibia. English is the official language, but namibias relatively small population is extraordinarily diverse in language and culture. Dec 18, 20 it will be easier traveling in namibia if you understood the lingo and local language. The national institution for education and development nied, one of the branches of the ministry of education, culture, youth, and sport, was entrusted with the task of reforming and developing the curriculum, integrating the national language policy with english as the official language. Pdf copies may be obtained from priscilla harris by emailing aharris. Language policy and oppression in south africa cultural. English as an official language and the medium of instruction in namibian schools.
The primordial source of the legitimacy of namibias foreign policy is the constitution and its relevant supplements and policy derivatives. The language in education policy documents which follow have been the subject of discussions and debate with a wide range of education stakeholders and roleplayers. This gives schools the option to disregard the aforementioned policy and begin full instruction in english in grade 1. How much is the furthering of this language to the detriment of the namibian languages. Jan 10, 2012 namibias language policy is poisoning its children. Namibia, despite its scant population, is home to a wide diversity of languages, from multiple language families.
Namibian government, and through a world bank study in 2005, which highlighted the poor quality of education, untrained teachers, and unsatisfactory performance of learners. The relevant portions of the 1997 version of the draft policy are reproduced in the box below. The study presented in this paper examined language in education policy in a multilingual international school in namibia. Culture and sport in 1991, states that all primary school learners in. With more than 1,000 learners at the school where we also live, many days can feel like stimulation overload. 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. Namibias language policy is poisoning its children education. The language centre serves as the centre for language learning, teaching and research. It is against this background that the new policy document, titled language policy for schools in namibia, was revised. The namibian government has put inplace efforts intended to address the social and economic plight of the namibian cls, supported by the namibian exile kids association neka, whose mission it is to engage the namibian government in the recruitment process of the namibian cls and to address all their needs by reinte. After namibian independence in march 1990, the ministry of basic education, sport and culture mbesc held meetings in all parts of the namibian region to discuss language policy for educational systems in namibia mbesc, 2003.
It critically analyses the countrys education system, which. The agreed policy was issued in the document education and culture in namibia. An investigation of grade ten learners in english as a second language across the khomas region from 2007 to 2010. National subject policy guide for english second language grades 512, nied 2008 2 the content of the subject this is described in terms of themes and topics. This policy is framed in the context of vision 2030 and national development plans. The language policy for schools 19921996 and beyond. It aims to align the education system with namibia s vision 2030, the governments longterm plan to transform namibia into an industrialised society. When namibia gained its political independence in 1990, it inherited a society characterized by segregation, vast urban and rural poverty, a highly skewed. Implementation of the government of the republic of namibias.
The social and economic challenges of the namibian children. This paper examines the issue of school language policy in namibia twenty years after independence. Namibias language policy is poisoning its children. The namibian language policy adopted by the then ministry of education, youth. Implementing inclusive education in namibian primary schools. Jun 23, 2015 the successes and challenges of the namibian education system living and working overseas can sometimes feel like being on a roller coaster with no harness. Language, a local language, or english mec, 1993, p. Pdf challenges facing the development of namibian languages. I declare that the thesis, an evaluation of the implementation of the namibian language ineducation policy in the upper primary phase in oshana region, is my own work, that all the sources used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete. A critical analysis of namibias englishonly language policy. On one level, there are tensions between its two official language groups, afrikaans and english. This means that from grade 1 5 children in the namibian education system will be taught in their mother tongue. The key focus is on the upgrading of competence in the use of english, and the teaching of the university core courses. The substudies focus on issues ranging from language choice, proficiency levels in the namibian languages to other aspects around teacher education and development.
A critical analysis of namibia s englishonly language policy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the namibian educational 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. Namibian education system language policy 5 things that. Namibia gained independence from south africa on 21 march 1990, following the namibian war of independence. And whereas, after the independence of namibia and notwithstanding the aforesaid provision of the namibian constitution, walvis bay and the offshore islands continued to be controlled by the republic. The languages spoken in namibia are mostly afrikaans, german, english and oshiwambo a native language. The language question in namibian schools springerlink. They have also been the subject of formal public comment following their publication on 9 may 1997 government notice no. If so, we invite you to join our contributor program. Namibia s current language policy will, as will be argued in this paper, significantly impede progress in each of the areas that vision 2030 has targeted. The policy states that schools must strive to ensure that boys and girls are educated about the benefits of abstinence, the risks of engaging in sexual activity at a young age, the appropriate use. Multilingualism and the language policy for namibian schools. Youll receive credits toward complimentary access to ethnologue for every contribution that is vetted and accepted by our editors.
South africa is a multilingual society that has some unique linguistic problems because of its policy of apartheid. The findings of the study were analysed according to relevant literature to determine if they were in line with the theories of language policy evaluation. 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 national policy guide for the junior primary phase was developed by the junior primary curriculum panel jpcp that served from september 1999 june 2001. Education and language of instruction in namibia eric. It was then concluded that english should be the main language of instruction from the fourth grade upwards. Niklaas johannes fredericks ma, university of the western cape abstract namibia is a mediumsized country with a population of just. The constitution lives because the citizens have invested it with the powers of longevity to sustain a ii namibias foreign policy and diplomacy management. The teaching of english was made a priority throughout the 1990s.
In language syllabuses the language skills are the themes and topics objectives, defined in terms of what learning is intended to happen at the level of a subject. English as a language of wider communication will only further enhance greater participation in social welfare activities. Cabinet approved the policy in 1996, and national assembly adopted it as a national policy in 1997. The central concern of this paper was to find out how language policy addresses possible language conflicts in this school in. Current namibian policy a draft policy on learner pregnancy was circulated for discussion during 1995 and 1997. This guide meant to support the ministerial policy documents and to guide teaching and learning in the junior primary school phase throughout namibia. A central tenet of namibian foreign policy as highlighted in the white paper is namibias support for panafricanism and specifically the consolidation of african democracy, peace and sustainable development through intraafrican trade and support networks.
Namibia educational systemoverview language, languages. This paper examines the issue of multilingualism and the language. A critical analysis of namibias englishonly language policy jenna frydman university of illinois at urbanachampaign 1. The successes and challenges of the namibian education system. 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.
This complex global environment requires that the government of namibia be adaptable in order to meet the social and economic aspirations of the namibian people. 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. On another level, there are linguistic tensions between the ethnic europeans and the black majority, mostly in regard to language instruction in schools. Andrew matjila, a retired school teacher and former politician, said that the language policy, in place for over 20 years, had failed to. The language in education policy documents which follow have been the subject of discussions and debate with a.
When namibia was administered by south africa, afrikaans, german, and english enjoyed an equal status as official languages. The language policy for schools in namibia early literacy. Public policies national planning commission of namibia. The language policy for schools in namibia ministry of education. Multilingualism and the language policy for namibian. The aim of this study is to evaluate the implementation of this policy in the upper primary schools in oshana region. The aim of this policy is to provide namibia with clear policy guidelines for development in the years ahead. More than 11 languages are indigenous to namibia but with its cosmopolitan society, languages from around the world are spoken in namibia. Obviously the first thing you need to know in namibia is saying hello. We live in a rapidly changing world, with evolving actors and competing national interests. Introduction when namibia gained its political independence in 1990, it inherited a society characterized by. Information technology policy for the republic of namibia 2008. In order to develop a national policy, discussions were held in all regions of the country and a draft policy was developed. After lengthy discussions the agreed policy was issued in the document education and culture in namibia.
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