Language myths alive: Educators’ beliefs about mother tongue use in three Zimbabwean rural primary schools

Abstract

There is a growing body of knowledge that supports the use of the mother tongue in education, raising the question why the cognitive advantages of the mother language should remain untapped for the benefit of primary school pupils in ex-colonial African countries. The Zimbabwean Language-in-Education Policy (LiEP) of the 1987 Education Act, amended in 2006, stipulates that prior to Form One, learners may access the curriculum in their mother tongue. Contrary to the stated policy, primary school teachers continue to use English as the language of education at the expense of the mother tongue from Grade One up to Grade Seven. The purpose of this study was, thus, to explore the factors which act as barriers to the effective implementation of the mother tongue policy in rural primary schools in Masvingo District of Zimbabwe. The qualitative case study was informed by the postcolonial theory paradigm. Multiple data collection methods were employed and these included the semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions for teachers as well as individual interviews for primary school heads. The study participants who were purposefully selected included three school heads and fifteen rural primary school teachers. Data were analysed thematically. The findings of this study revealed that participants held beliefs in uninformed language myths which support the dominant role of English as follows: English was viewed as the only language of education as it allowed for easier communication locally and internationally, the mother tongue was regarded as not capable of becoming the language of education, it was believed that learners had to learn in English to improve proficiency in the second language and that maximum exposure would prepare learners for secondary school education and subsequent acquisition of good jobs upon completion of their studies. Recommendations were made on the role of teacher education institutions on the implementation of additive bilingual education in primary schools.