The need of national dialogue regarding which language should be used as language of instruction in Tanzania"

[pureman2]

Dear all,
Be invited to read and comment to this open letter

Reference to be made to the heading above,

For a while, it has been noted the need of reviewing our language policy through a national dialogue.

This thirsty has recently been sparked again by one of the presidential running candidate of CHADEMA party, honorable Tundu Lissu when he was addressing wahariri wa magazeti na TV Tanzania after completing the zonal political rallies.

Among many things addressed, including the issue of having a national dialogue to review our language policy . This calls followed his remark that "English language is problematic to many Tanzania" as one of the weakness in our education system.

As many graduates are leaving college and Universities without tangible understanding and skills that makes most of our graduates unemployable, and less compitentive.

It was highlited that-this problem is partly rooted from failure to understand the "instructions language" used to teach our students, particularly English language.

According to Tanzania education system, pre school and primary education use the Swahili language as instructions language, wheares from secondary education to university, students use English language as instructions language.

With this system is believed that there's inconsistency, and disconnection of instructions language from the foundation to the top, rendering student as victims as they tend to claim much than understanding the tought subjects.

Proposer of this argument are suggesting that there's a need to customize Swahili language to be instructing language all the way from pre School to university, and English language become one of the subject to be learned.

However, the opponent of this view are arguing that, English as the instructions language is not the problem at all, and if there could be good learning environment characterized by present of focus education policy informed by national economy philosophy, availability of motivated trained and qualified teachers, standard classroom and laboratories , and present of living conditions for both students and teachers such as food, electricity and water....all these would make difference in the quality and compitence of our graduates.

With this open letter, you are welcomed to take part regarding the topic as efforts toward national dialogue to discuss the language policy.

Kind regards.

 

[Auz]

Elimu inahitaji maandalizi makubwa na ya kina ili nchi iendelee na watu wake wapate elimu kwa usahihi.
Chochote tutakachoamua kati ya Kiswahili na Kiingereza, ni dhahiri na ukweli ulio wazi kuwa hizi lugha zinatakiwa kuwekewa uzito mkubwa kuhakikisha zinaeleweka kwa wananchi wote.
Tatizo ninalolihisi kwa mfumo wetu kwa sasa ni kuwa, hatuna waalimu wenye uelewa wa hizi lugha zote, kote tuna babaisha tu bora siku ipite.
Huko vijijini, lugha zote mbili hazipewi kipaumbele na matokeo yake, wanafunzi wanafundishwa kwa lugha za kikabila.
Hivyo yapaswa kujitathmini na ujizatiti, kuhakikisha kuna waalimu wa kutosha na vitabu vya kutosha nchi nzima.

 

[Criterion]

Dear all,
Be invited to read and comment to this open letter

Reference to be made to the heading above,

For a while, it has been noted the need of reviewing our language policy through a national dialogue.

This thirsty has recently been sparked again by one of the presidential running candidate of CHADEMA party, honorable Tundu Lissu when he was addressing wahariri wa magazeti na TV Tanzania after completing the zonal political rallies.

Among many things addressed, including the issue of having a national dialogue to review our language policy . This calls followed his remark that "English language is problematic to many Tanzania" as one of the weakness in our education system.

As many graduates are leaving college and Universities without tangible understanding and skills that makes most of our graduates unemployable, and less compitentive.

It was highlited that-this problem is partly rooted from failure to understand the "instructions language" used to teach our students, particularly English language.

According to Tanzania education system, pre school and primary education use the Swahili language as instructions language, wheares from secondary education to university, students use English language as instructions language.

With this system is believed that there's inconsistency, and disconnection of instructions language from the foundation to the top, rendering student as victims as they tend to claim much than understanding the tought subjects.

Proposer of this argument are suggesting that there's a need to customize Swahili language to be instructing language all the way from pre School to university, and English language become one of the subject to be learned.

However, the opponent of this view are arguing that, English as the instructions language is not the problem at all, and if there could be good learning environment characterized by present of focus education policy informed by national economy philosophy, availability of motivated trained and qualified teachers, standard classroom and laboratories , and present of living conditions for both students and teachers such as food, electricity and water....all these would make difference in the quality and competence of our graduates.

With this open letter, you are welcomed to take part regarding the topic as efforts toward national dialogue to discuss the language policy.

Kind regards.

The problems that Tanzania is currently facing are attributed to disregarding the power of research based information. Vivid examples are a number of research reports which have either not red, disrespected or ignored by the relevant authorities irrespective how informative, constructive and valuable are.

Apparently we are witnessing the shift of technical power from professionals to politicians the notion which if nothing will be done to stop it, in a short time we will be recording localized instability in many areas of our systems. For instance It is now no longer surprising to see the District Councils are opposing Engineers on BOQs and infrastructural designs; fortunately this generation is a witness of what happened to Warioba's Constitutional Reform proposal; Planning, Execution and Prioritization of development programs and interventions; and many other fundamentals that are being taken lightly.

I believe in the power of knowledge, power of participation and power of innovation. If we are really for betterment of our education system, it is a prerequisite to conduct a technical research so as to ascertain the factors behind the education system's setback.

So long as our Constitution and political set up do not guarantee academic, professional or technical competence in the elects, politicians should stay away from this research an wait for their relevant sections.

The notion of people to take lead of sensitive matters which are out of their areas of competence is one reason of coming up with guessed conclusions or conclusions which are merely based on speculations, personal feelings or exposure of an individual and unproved hypothesis.

National Dialogue will not improve education rather than compromising standards relying on comfort zones of majority who are less educated. Education is meant to pull up dimensions of individuals and the national in addressing current and future domestic and international affairs in all areas. Only informed people can answer the what; why; who; where and how of this.

If there are resources and time for public rallies geared at improving education or anything of that nature,let the resources be invested in technical researches for the same.

Kwanza ukitaka kujua kwamba hata lugha inawezekana si tatizo, angalia hao wanaotetewa vile hata kiswahili hawajui!. Kiswahli kama somo nalo wanashindwa tu. Kuandika hata hapa tu kiswahili hawajui. Ndio wale wanaseme "kuhairisha, badala ya kuahirisha", Mihamala badala ya miamala; Ni budi, akimaanisha hakuna budi ambayo maana yake ni hakuna hiyari".

Bila research ya kitaalamu, tutakuwa kituko kwa kupanua saizi ya magoli wakati mchezo hatuujui.

 

[Criterion]

Elimu inahitaji maandalizi makubwa na ya kina ili nchi iendelee na watu wake wapate elimu kwa usahihi.
Chochote tutakachoamua kati ya Kiswahili na Kiingereza, ni dhahiri na ukweli ulio wazi kuwa hizi lugha zinatakiwa kuwekewa uzito mkubwa kuhakikisha zinaeleweka kwa wananchi wote.
Tatizo ninalolihisi kwa mfumo wetu kwa sasa ni kuwa, hatuna waalimu wenye uelewa wa hizi lugha zote, kote tuna babaisha tu bora siku ipite.
Huko vijijini, lugha zote mbili hazipewi kipaumbele na matokeo yake, wanafunzi wanafundishwa kwa lugha za kikabila.
Hivyo yapaswa kujitathmini na ujizatiti, kuhakikisha kuna waalimu wa kutosha na vitabu vya kutosha nchi nzima.

Nimependekeza kuwa na research ya kitaalamu ijumulishe wataaluma na si wanasiasa ambao katiba haituhakikishii wana elimu ama utaalamu sahihi wa kiwango gani. Nidyo sababu unakuta mtu anataka mbunge wa darasa la pili eti hawezi kufanya kazi na Dr.

Research hiyo itatuambia kiini cha tatizo na dawa yake kw a maslahi mapana ya taifa la leo na kesho na keshokutwa.

Tatizo siyo lugha, kwa kuwa lugha iliyokuwa ikitumika wakati elimu iko juu haijabadilishwa. Lakini pia siyo lugha tu bali pia na uwezo na utayari wa hiyo lugha katika nyanja zote zikiwemo technologia na sayansi katika maeneo ya ndani na kimataifa. Elimu siyo lugha tu bali kuna uvumbuzi na ugunduzi, biashara n.k.

Ninajua research ikipangwa na kufanyika kwa utulivu na utaalamu bila maslahi ya kisiasa ama maslahi binafsi ya watu, tutapata matokeo mazuri ambayo yakipangiwa utekelezaji sahihi na shirikishi, utaona matokeo yake. Hatuhitaji kupanua magori eti tufuate wengi eanaoshindwa kusoma kwa sababu zao. Mfano watoto wanakwenda shule na mawazo ya kufanya ngono mitandaoni, unategemea hata ukiwasomesha kilugha wataelewa somo?

Tuende na research kwanza. Tuache kupanua magoli wakati uwezo wetu wa kucheza hattujui.