Minister Rejects Proposal To Make English, Shona And Ndebele Compulsory In All Schools

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo has rejected a proposal by a Senator to make English, Shona and Ndebele compulsory subjects in schools.

Senator Mike Bimha had proposed that the three languages be made compulsory in all schools nationwide.

However, Minister Moyo said the Government values all of the country’s official languages, adding that learners at the infant level should be taught in their mother tongue.

“We have a policy that clearly states that out of the 16 officially recognised languages, at the moment, we value all the languages. All of them are important,” said Minister Moyo.

Minister Moyo said that when the Government introduced the Heritage-Based Curriculum, it was accompanied by a policy known as the Zimbabwe Early Learning Policy (ZELP).

“This means that a child who is in an infant school, ECD A, ECD B, Grade 1 and Grade 2, in terms of our law, you cannot teach them in English, you teach them in their mother tongue,” said the Minister.

“This means that if we teach that child English or Shona when they are supposed to learn in Venda or Tonga, we are depriving the child’s rights in terms of our law.”

He further argued that the Government’s intention was for all pupils to be taught in their mother tongue before learning other languages.

“It is our wish that all languages be valued and be taught in all our schools. This means that all people are equal and all languages are equal. So, our children should be taught in their mother languages,” he said.

“Once we have attained that, we will now look at additional languages to be learned because it may be a challenge to teach the child all 16 languages. Let us respect the child’s mother tongue.”

The country’s Constitution recognises 16 official languages, namely English, Shona, Ndebele, Shangani, Sotho, Venda, Kalanga, Nambya, Chewa, sign language, Tonga, Chibarwe, Ndau, Tswana, Khoisan and Xhosa.

More: The Herald