English to remain as a medium of instruction in Tanzanian schools
What you need to know:
- The Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako told the Parliament on English language will remain the language of instruction in schools because of its importance in the international business.
Dodoma. The government said on Wednesday, June 12, 2019 that it does not have any intention of scrapping English as a language of instruction in schools due to its importance in international business.
"We all understand the importance of English and that is why Members of Parliament (MPs) send their children to English Medium Schools," the Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, said in Parliament.
She was responding to a question from Mr Almasi Maige (Tabora North - CCM) who sought to know whether or not the government had any plan of promoting Kiswahili as the only language of instruction in primary and secondary schools.
Mr Maige said with various countries across Africa showing interest in adopting Kiswahili, it was high time the government came up with concerted efforts to promote Kiswahili locally by making it the sole language of instruction in primary and secondary schools.
According to Prof Ndalichako, the language of instruction is schools is governed by the Education Act Cap. 353.
The law, she said, recognises Kiswahili and English as languages of instruction across primary and secondary schools.
She said English was widely used in secondary schools and colleges as a way of equipping scholars with the competence that's required for them to communicate effectively with peers across the region and internationally.
