Hi Don, I have been off this and several other forums for more than a year. It's good to see that you've kept the fire burning.
All the best. Vukoni --- In AfricanLanguages@yahoogroups.com, "Don Osborn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > The following item from the Nigerian paper, Vanguard, was seen on > lgpolicy-list. > > > "Teaching in mother tongue" > http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4260&Itemid=0 > Written by Adekunle Aliyu > Thursday, 10 January 2008 > > The National Policy on Education (NPE) affirmed that Government > recognises the importance of language as means of promoting social > interaction, national cohesion and preserving our cultures. > > This policy endorsed the need for every child to learn the language of > the immediate environment. > > Furthermore, in the interest of national unity, it is expedient that > every child shall be required to learn one of the three major Nigerian > languages - Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. > > Ever since, not so much impetus was given to the policy which requires > Nigerian children to learn one of those three languages. It is not > surprising that many children and even adults can not speak any of the > indigeneous languages including their mother tongue. > > When children can not speak their native language in the first place, > how then can they learn and study in school with the mother tongue? > > The challenge of teaching in mother tongue may remain unattainable > unless Nigeria's education system is decolonised with English language > de-emphasised gradually and systematically. But English is still the > official language of this country â" a colonial heritage that may not > perish. > > In a society of language multiplicity, it would be difficult to build > a consensus for an all-embracing national language. > > Apart from the three main languages of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, there > are over 300 linguistic dialects and mother tongues. > > Ethnic loyalty and nationality won't give way for adoption of any of > these languages as the national tongue or lingua franca. > > Regarded as the exponent and father of mother tongue initiative, > Professor Babatunde Aliyu Fafunwa, a former Minister of Education > attributed the continued retention of English as our official language > to colonial mentality. > > He stated: > > "Teaching can be done in Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Nupe, Itsekiri, I > pioneered it in science at Nsukka. I got the proceedings of a > conference translated into Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. I believe everyone > can learn in their own native language." > > Revealing an experiment he made to know the acceptability of mother > tongue for teaching, the renowned educationist said pupils preferred > to learn in their own language instead of English, as they can express > themselves better in their mother tongue. > > Children should be given early education in mother tongue, because > investigation has shown that it will last long er in their cognitive > domain than any alien tongue. > > The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation > (UNESCO) after assessing the use of the child's native language in > teaching and found it successful, recommended the approach. Children > will excel more when taught in local language. > > Fafunwa believes science and mathematics can be taught in Yoruba, > Igbo, Hausa or any other indigenous language. > > He has published books on science and mathematics in Yoruba for > primary education which have been translated into Igbo, Nupe, etc. > > Fafunwa faulted those who argued that Yoruba or other native languages > have no numerals, nor scientific terms, words of formula. > > "English used Arabic numerals. If English can borrow, we also can > borrow. There are a number of ways to treat a language: borrow, > convert, invent, add." > > All great, highly developed countries in the world speak their own > languages, including the newly emerging economic and industrial powers > of South East Asia, even though they were colonised by Britain. > > The time has come for Nigeria to shrug off Colonial mentality by > discarding English and develop a national indigenous language out of > the motley of native tongues in the country. > > This may not be easy due to our cultural, ethnic and linguistic > diversity. But the nation can start thinking about it, especially in > using mother tongue to teach pupils in primary education. > > The Lagos State House of Assembly is setting the pace by adopting > Yoruba as official language in conducting proceedings. > > © 2008 Vanguard Media Limited > > **************************** Disclaimer ****************************** > Copyright: In accordance with Title 17, United States Code Section > 107, this material is distributed without profit for research and > educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material posted > to this list for purposes that go beyond "fair use," you must obtain > permission from the copyright owner. > Content: The sender does not vouch for the veracity nor the accuracy > of the contents of this message, which are the sole responsibility of > the copyright owner. Also, the sender does not necessarily agree or > disagree with any opinions that are expressed in this message. > ********************************************************************** > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
