Medium of instruction in school: The indigenous language, the national language or the official language? A case study from multilingual deep rural Kenya

Abstract

The connection between multilingualism and the school curriculum continues to engender debates on language preferences because of the potential to influence the amount of learning among learners. To understand language preferences among multilingual learners and their implications for the selection of the medium of instruction (MoI) in a multilingual country, data were collected through questionnaires and interviews among learners, teachers and head teachers in deep, rural Kenyan primary schools. These schools are located away from urban centres, with little or no basic infrastructure, hence the concept of “deep ruralness”. The participants were purposively sampled from among learners, teachers and head teachers to examine how learners’ affiliations with multilingualism could explain the preferred MoI, and the ways through which schools implement the use of an MoI in the curriculum. The findings show that Kiswahili and English were used as the MoI, even when the curriculum recommended indigenous languages and English. Moreover, learners’ multilingual affiliations and their spontaneous languages were their indigenous languages and Kiswahili. Based on these findings, we claim that the indigenous language, Kiswahili and English should be used as the languages of instruction in Kenyan schools.

Learning literacy in a familiar language: comparing reading and comprehension competence in Bemba in two contrasting settings in Northern Zambia

“…Finally, it appears that the learners managed to navigate the different uses of their languages in a meaningful way that allowed an equitable negotiation of power between languages inside and outside the classroom. This has parallels with findings in Spernes & Ruto-Korir (2018) in their study on language preferences in rural Kenya, where learners varied in language preference and their own perceived competence in the four skills between the home language Nandi, the regional and national language Kiswahili and English. Their preferences were based on five contexts of use: (i) communicating with family; (ii) communicating with friends; (iii) use at school; (iv) importance for culture; and (v) communicating with everyone.…”

(Hidden) potentials for African languages in curriculum reforms: examples from Kenya and South Africa

“…Contrary, a study was done by Spernes and Ruto-Korir (2018) in Nandi County in Kenya showed the influence of language attitudes. This area was a rural site so the language of the catchment area is Nandi.…”

“…Similarly, Githiora ( 2002 , p. 162) mentions over 60 languages and language varieties. The majority mention 42 (Ogechi 2009 , p. 143; Ogechi and Bosire-Ogechi 2002 , p. 168) and others ‘acknowledged’ 44 (Spernes and Ruto-Korir 2018 , p. 42) languages. Some are not so precise and see more than forty (Mose 2017 , p. 215) or indicate 42 (Kibui 2014 , p. 89; Ogechi 2003 , p. 279), but reference a report by the Kenyan government, which mentions 70 languages.…”

“…Pupils encounter humiliating experiences at school if they spoke their indigenous languages outside of the designated time and space (Wanjiku-Omollo 2014 , p. 16). They were forced to wear a plate with statements such as ‘I am a donkey’ (Spernes and Ruto-Korir 2018 , p. 51; Nabea 2009 , p. 126). Such experiences increased the already existing division between English and indigenous languages and created an alienation of Kenyan pupils from their languages, cultures and communities.…”

African languages as medium of assessment in the teaching of indigenous languages in higher education: a paradigm shift

“…In Kenya, the mother tongue is used as the language of instruction in the elementary grades (Grades 1-3) and English is taught as a subject. From Grade 4 upwards, English becomes the medium of instruction (Spernes & Ruto-Korir 2018). In Nigeria, English is the official medium of instruction from primary to higher education level (Ozoemena et al 2021).…”