The politics of mother tongue education: The case of Uganda

  • Medadi Erisa Ssentanda Makerere University and Stellenbosch University
  • Kate Huddlestone Stellenbosch University
  • Frenette Southwood Stellenbosch University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5785/32-3-689
Keywords: politics, mother tongue education, multilingualism, thematic curriculum, Uganda

Abstract

This paper aims to explain the trend of mother tongue (MT) education in Uganda by examining particularly government’s practices towards MT education. MT education was (re)introduced in Uganda in 2006/2007 due to disappointing literacy acquisition by learners with the hope of improving literacy skills among particularly rural children. Based on data gathered from rural government and private schools in rural areas, this paper questions what exactly it is that government seeks to reclaim, restore and/or rejuvenate in Uganda’s education system via MT education.

Author Biographies

Medadi Erisa Ssentanda, Makerere University and Stellenbosch University
Department of African Lanuages, Lecturerand Department of General Linguistics
Kate Huddlestone, Stellenbosch University
General Linguistics Department, Lecturer
Frenette Southwood, Stellenbosch University
General Linguistics Department, Senior Lecturer
Published
2016-11-23
Issue
Vol. 32 No. 3 (2016)
Section
Articles

Copyright (c) 2016 Per Linguam

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