INSPIRE Academy grade one pupils learning in Lusaka yesterday. – Picture by ANGELA MWENDA.
By GANIZANI TEMBO
LOCAL languages, as a medium of instruction, were yesterday rolled out in Government schools, much to the excitement of pupils, as private schools dithered to implement the government policy due to “logistical challenges”.
Most Government schools implemented the directive of using local languages as a medium of instruction from Grade One to Grade Four.
A survey conducted in some schools in Lusaka yesterday revealed that all Government schools were teaching in Chewa, the language designated for the region.
“Nichipezako kupepuka kupunzila muchitundu chawa mai (I find it easier to learn in my mother tongue),” said Samuel Zulu, a Grade One pupil at Lotus Basic School.
An elated Samuel says it is easier to get an instruction in Chewa because he communicates in the local language with his mother and peers at home.
Other schools where teachers were found educating the pupils in the local language in Lusaka included St Patrick’s Covenant School and Nkanzi Primary School.
Mrs Ingrid Ng’andwe, a Grade One teacher at Lotus, who is also Zambia Education Curriculum Framework Committee member, said: “The children have responded greatly to this development due to the foundation given to them in Grade One at this school. For us, we already had a programme to introduce children to local languages early.”
“It is a good move by Government to give the pupils an opportunity to be connected to their roots, but the only challenge we are having is lack of learning materials,” she said.
She said there are several merits that can be derived from this policy.
“It is evident that children learn more easily and successfully through languages that they know and understand well,” she said.
The story was slightly different at St Patrick’s Convent School as children were having challenges adapting to Chewa.
Head teacher Mercy Musonda says the programme is good as pupils will grasp basics early before venturing into English, which is the official language.
“We have a programme running from Grade One till the pupils reach Grade Four, hence making it easy for the pupils to adapt to the new changes taking place,” Sister Mercy said.
But there is a challenge: “The only problem we have encountered is that of having a few learning materials and we urge the Government through the Ministry of Education to help ease this pressure for us to carry out the job successfully.”
At private schools visited, the situation was different as they have not started teaching in Chewa because of lack of training materials. They also don’t have teachers with the requisite knowledge in Chewa.
A five-year-old girl of Joma Primary School put it plainly: “It is hard to learn using local languages because my mother uses English to talk to us at home.”
Government has introduced a policy to use Zambian languages as a medium of instruction from pre-school to Grade Four, effective January 2014.
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