The on-going debate on the proposed system of grading candidates in the KCSE results, has sparked the age-old question of the rightful place of Kiswahili not only in the education system but, more importantly, in Kenya’s national language policy.
The current cycle of the argument and counter-arguments on pros and cons of having Kiswahili as one of the compulsory subjects to determine KCSE minimum grade of C+ as the qualification of university entry requirement for undergraduate programmes, has been sparked by the controversial recommendation on the issue by the recently concluded Presidential Task-Force on Educational Reforms, commonly known as the Munavu Report of 2023.
Details of the report, which are still being considered and implemented through various agencies in the education sector, state that the grading will be based on a total of seven subjects, which will include two mandatory subjects, Mathematics and Either English or Kiswahili or Sign Language.
Putting Kiswahili and English as equivalent and alternative subjects is not only wrong but also indefensible and a retrogressive step in the growth and development of the national language. This is because it will mean very few schools, if any, will allow their candidates to choose Kiswahili as a compulsory subject given that it is English that enjoys unchallenged privilege being the sole medium of learning in all subjects in the curriculum at all levels of formal education in the country.
Therefore, by dislodging Kiswahili from its former position as a stand-alone compulsory subject and giving schools and learners the discretion to choose to focus their attention and energies on English will mean little attention will be accorded to the study of Kiswahili since it is not the only language that will be considered for final grading.
One can not fail to read negative language policy and attitude towards Kiswahili in this particular recommendation. Indeed, all Kenyan patriots and people of goodwill must make their views count in opposing this measure being defended by the ministry of Education.
One wonders whether or not this view emanated from the ideas gathered by the task-force during its preparation of their report. or, could it have been an after-thought that was appended to the final recommendation aimed at dealing a death-blow to our national language.
Presidential Working Party on Education Reform Chairperson Raphael Munavu addressing journalists during public hearings.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Why does this recommendation seem to be a clear effort to diminish the profile of Kiswahili in our educational system and national life in general? Firstly, it will wipe away the great achievements attained in the development and growth of the language nationally and throughout this region since 1985 when, following the Report of the Mackay Commission (1981) that birthed the 8.4.4 system of education and gave us the second public University (Moi University), Kiswahili was, for the first time in Kenya’s history, made a compulsory examinable subject both in the KCPE and KSCE levels.
This step greatly enhanced the value and image of Kiswahili so much that it had been given the mandate to determine university entry into most if not all programmes of study. The quality of the teaching, learning and usage of the language among Kenyans at home and in the diaspora, has tremendously improved in a short time and it keeps rising. The ripple effect of that policy change was flourishment of the local and regional publishing industry as well as the media sector.
Did the Munavu task-force consider the negative impact making their recommendation was likely to have on the role of Kiswahili in the education and other social sectors?
Secondly, the insinuation in an article by Kennedy Buhere to the effect that it is not necessary to compute the average grade for KCSE candidates based on two compulsory subjects, English and Kiswahili is self-defeatist. Under the 8.4.4. system, Kiswahili was given its rightful position because it is equal to English. On what basis does the ministry imply that Kiswahili has disadvantaged many KSCE candidates from gaining the minimum grade of C+? Nothing can be further from the truth.
The level of success in a candidates’ performance in either English or Kiswahili will reinforce and counterbalance the average grade. Kiswahili is already under-privileged in comparison to English, which is the language of tuition and all official business in school. The only way to improve the status of Kiswahili in the education sector is to make it compulsory at all levels.
The Mackay report made a brilliant rationale for making this recommendation. He argued that Kiswahili was the only tool of effective communication between new university graduates and members of the public in all sectors where they would be deployed to serve whether in public or private sector. One wonders what has changed to justify relegation of Kiswahili, the national and official language, to be equated with English and sign language or, indeed any other subject in the secondary school curriculum.
The Ministry of Education has taken rather too long to recognise that Kiswahili is a co-official language with English as per our 2010 Constitution ( Chapter Two Article 2 (i) and (ii) Likewise, all our elitist Western –leaning leaders who continue to prefer English over Kiswahili and demean the standing of Kiswahili are doing Kenya and Africa a great disservice.
The Munavu task-force recommendation, therefore, comes as no surprise given the mundane nature of our policies on language and culture. This assertion is made with no reservations because, the history of language planning and policy in Kenya is on record for all to see. Language matters always take the back seat in all national discourses.
As far as Kiswahili is concerned, it has always been regarded as an underdog in comparison to English. Right from the pre-independence era when a fierce campaign was waged to paint the language as a mere Arabic dialect, to denying it sufficient space in the teaching time-table, underpaying its teachers, refusing to make it an examinable subject, Kiswahili has endured a long histry of discrimination by many State agencies and personnel.
Thirdly, it is not clear whether or not the task-force sought views from Kenyans before coming up with this major education policy shift. One is reminded of the troubled history of this language in post-independence Kenya where it was put on the same level as other non-examinable subjects in the 1960s.
These non-examinable subjects included physical education, handwork, agriculture and music. In the and 197os and up to 1985, it was made an examinable subject but only at the secondary school level culminating in the major shift in 1985 when it was now made a compulsory examinable subject in primary, secondary and colleges.
The argument by the Ministry of Education that this measure is crucial in order to ensure the enhancement of the number of KCSE candidates qualifying for university admission is erroneous and unfounded on any demonstrable research data.
Marching forward into the CBC era, Kenyan children will need to acquire bilingual if not multilingual education. Time has come to adopt a bilingual educational system since both Kiswahili and English will continue to play a pivotal role in our society.
Academic training will be delivered in English and, to some extent, Kiswahili medium. However, our graduates will have to socialise, communicate and serve the multilingual Kenyans mainly, or only effectively, in Kiswahili.
What is the import of Kiswahili as Kenya’s national language? How come six decades after independence we are still debating on whether or not Kiswahili has a central role to play in our education system and in our society as a whole? The elite who favour English must wake up to the reality that Kenya’s National language must be seen to play its rightful role in all aspects of national life.
It must be enabled to help strengthen co-operation and understanding between Kenyans and non-Kenyans within our borders as well as in our region; support attainment of quality education for all, build a strong and inclusive knowledge communities and societies, preserve our invaluable cultural heritage, and mobilise political will for applying the benefits of science and technology for sustainable development.
To conclude, Kiswahili’s role as Kenya’s co-official language has been deliberately stifled for far too long. Fallacy after fallacy has been created , imagined and used to rationalise why Kiswahili as a tool of national or official discourse will slow down the rate of our development especially in modern science, technology. You can compare this claim with the flimsy argument by the ministry of education that, if Kiswahili remains a stand-alone mandatory subject, it will lead to fewer students achieving the C+ entry grade required for undergraduate admission.
This is a mere excuse to elevate English over Kiswahili in the school curricular and, thereby, weaken its development at a time when countries such as Uganda, South Sudan, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia have welcomed Kiswahili in their schools, employing many Kenyan teachers as a result.
Kenya, through the East African Community has a duty to promote Kiswahili into an intra-African and global language. There is no stopping its march to become a top African language in the world . The fact of the matter is there is absolutely no example of a postcolonial nation in the world that has developed in the above fields through using a foreign language.
As our education system enters a new error under the Competency Based Curriculum, Kiswahili must be at the centre of it all. In addition to imparting the desired valuea and knowledge, this language has the necessary technical and cultural muscle to help our leaners navigate and internalise the key 21 century soft skills.
Kiswahili should be allowed to play a central role in teaching and learning of these major skills through its usage the most suitable and fitting tool of written and verbal communication as well as inter-personal interaction. Kiswahili will be the fulrum of the development through exchange of trade, science, cultural enterprise and political values. Our shared future as Kenyans and Africans we owe it all to Kiswahili, Africa’s gift to the global community.
