FAMILIAR LANGUAGE VERSUS MOTHER TONGUE : An Analysis of the Implications of the Current Language of Instruction Policy in Zambia

Abstract

This article examines the implications of the shifts in the language of instruction (LoI) in Zambian schools. Fifty years after independence, Zambia is still faced with language policy problems. In 2013, the Ministry of Education, Science and Vocational Training offloaded a new curriculum in which the LoI in Grades 1 to 4 is a familiar language. Many studies support teaching and learning through a mother tongue but the implications of a familiar LoI have not yet been analysed. This article blends history, published research findings and a survey of the views of teachers of Grades 1 to 4 teaching in a familiar language. The challenges facing the implementation of such a policy are in no way different from those faced when this policy was first attempted prior to 1977. The article recommends a more inclusive approach to the implementation of the LoI policy in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal Number 4 on education by 2030.