A MODEL FOR INTRODUCING MARGINALIZED INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN THE BOTSWANA EDUCATION SYSTEM

Abstract

The Botswana education system does not accommodate other languages found in the country. While in colonial Bechuanaland Kalanga, Lozi, Nama and Ndebele were taught at lower primary, post-independence Botswana abolished these and the other indigenous languages spoken in the country. This has been done through an exclusive language use policy where only Setswana and English feature in the school system and in public communication domains. This has also resulted in the exclusive hegemony of the English language which dominates in Education. The Setswana language, despite its national status, remains incapacitated in the high language use domains such as in science and technology. The bilingual English and Setswana approach to language use neglects the fact that Botswana is a multilingual country consisting of about 30 minority languages, inclusive of sign language. The exclusion of minority languages in all domains has led to their marginalization, and their speakers assimilating Setswana. In this paper, we argue for multilingualism in education and other official domains. The article maintains that marginalized languages should be regarded as a resource and should be assigned official roles especially in education to ensure their existence in future. It also proposes a language use plan that would provide a framework for capacitating marginalized languages.