The World Bank, the language question and the future of African education

Mazrui, Alamin

doi:10.1177/030639689703800303

Cited by 82 publications

(43 citation statements)

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“…The changing fortunes of the policy have to do with the politics of aid from international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, or the former colonial regimes and more industrialised nations, the core countries that effectively place African countries on the periphery (cf. (Mazrui 1997;Phillipson 1992). Dependence has impacted policies on language in education.…”

Section: Language and Rights In Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linguistic Rights and Conceptual Incarceration in African Education

Mchombo¹

2017

Alternation

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In 2014 the cultural agency of the United Nations issued a dismal assessment of education in Africa. The report noted that while, globally, a quarter of a billion children are failing to learn basic reading and math skills, resulting in an education crisis that costs governments $129 billion per year, the situation in Africa could only be described as catastrophic. Education on this continent had failed so miserably in its mission that 'four in 10 African children "cannot read a sentence"' (cited in Daily Nation 2014: 1). This equates to 40% of children, compared to 25% in other poor countries. The report attributed this situation to the fact that 'fewer than three-quarters of existing primary school teachers were trained to national standards, while 120 million primary age Sam Mchombo 192children across the world had little or no experience of school.' It concluded that the African education system does not equip the children with the desired literacy and math skills or scientific knowledge. However, it is silent on the role that language might play in attaining these goals and a well-rounded education. The operative assumption is that African education is delivered in ex-colonial languages due to their centrality to math, science, and technology. This article focuses on the fallacies behind such an assumption and argues that the retention and entrenchment of European languages as languages of instruction serve to solidify the 'conceptual-cum-linguistic incarceration' of African education.

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Section: Language and Rights In Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linguistic Rights and Conceptual Incarceration in African Education

Mchombo¹

2017

Alternation

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“…During the more than three decades that the World Bank has been the predominant institution for developing and enforcing global economic and education policy it has had many critics across a range of academic disciplines, including linguists like myself (Romaine 1990(Romaine , 2008a and others (Mazrui 1997), who have argued that its educational policies create and reinforce inequality. Although Brock-Utne (2001: 120) detected a shift in the bank's rhetoric concerning the value of mother tongue instruction, Jones (1997: 367) emphasized the need to scrutinize not only the bank's rhetoric but to examine the practices and projects it is prepared to support.…”

Section: Keeping the Promise: Reconciling Development And Linguistic mentioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping the promise of the Millennium Development Goals: Why language matters

Romaine¹

2013

Applied Linguistics Review

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Abstract:The adoption of the Millennium Declaration in 2000 by 189 memberstates of the United Nations defined a critical moment for global cooperation as leaders committed themselves to achieve eight specific development objectives known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. As the largest and arguably most ambitious initiative on the international development agenda, the MDGs have become the normative framework for human development, and the MDG language of goals and targets now shapes the global debate about how to define and measure development. Examination of the progress achieved thus far towards the MDGs pinpoints language at the very heart of major fault lines in the development process: those most often left behind are language minorities. Keeping the promise of the MDGs requires a new understanding of the critical role of language in human development. Because there can be no true development with linguistic development, only by putting language at the center of development can we close the gaps and meet key targets of the MDGs and other global agendas such as Education for All (EFA) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). This article issues an urgent call for linguists to make their voices heard.

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“…Today, English is used as an official or semi-official language in over 60 countries in the world [41], and has a prominent place in a further 20. Globally, it is the main language of books, newspapers, airports and air-traffic control, international business and academic conferences, Science, technology, medicine, diplomacy, sports, international competitions, pop music and advertising ( [41], p. 36,37).…”

Section: Language Imperialism In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Globally, it is the main language of books, newspapers, airports and air-traffic control, international business and academic conferences, Science, technology, medicine, diplomacy, sports, international competitions, pop music and advertising ( [41], p. 36,37).…”

Section: Language Imperialism In Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

Local Languages of Instruction as a Right in Education for Sustainable Development in Africa

Babaci‐Wilhite

2013

Sustainability

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Today's educational challenges in Africa have their roots in the colonial education system. The article explores the consequences of linguistic choices for quality education, self-determined development and children's rights in education. The analysis centers on a case study of a curriculum change in Zanzibar in which English has replaced Kiswahili as the language of instruction in the last years of primary school in Mathematics and Science subjects. The case study is grounded in an extensive review of theory and practices on the relationship between language of instruction, learning and rights in education. The field study researched the reasons behind the curriculum change, the extent to which schools were prepared for the change, and the consequences of the change for the learning environment. The article, therefore suggests that for the 21st century, Africa should place emphasis on rights policies that promotes not only access, but also inclusion and quality education.

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The World Bank, the language question and the future of African education

Cited by 82 publications

References 0 publications

Linguistic Rights and Conceptual Incarceration in African Education

Linguistic Rights and Conceptual Incarceration in African Education

Keeping the promise of the Millennium Development Goals: Why language matters

Local Languages of Instruction as a Right in Education for Sustainable Development in Africa

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