Language Experts Condemn Punishment of Students Over Speaking Mother Tongues at School.
Runyakitara language experts have condemned school policies that punish students for expressing themselves in their mother tongues.
This was during the closing ceremony of the two-day Runyakitara Teachers Conference 2025, held at Kabale University. The conference, which started on February 21, 2025, coincided with the International Mother Language Day.
The Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kedress Turyagyenda, officiated as the chief guest at the event, which also honored the late Festo Karwemera, a historian and cultural activist credited with preserving the Rukiga language.
Professor Oswald Ndoleriire from Kabale University’s Institute of Languages delivered a keynote address, stating that punishing students for speaking their mother tongues is an embarrassment to African culture and a symbol of backwardness. He disputed the notion that speaking fluent English is the key to economic growth and development.
Ndoleriire cited countries like Japan, China, and Germany, where local languages are predominantly used in education, yet they have achieved significant economic development. He emphasized the importance of promoting local languages in Uganda.
According to UNESCO, over 40% of the world’s 2,000 ethnic languages face extinction.
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Dr. David Majaliwa, Director of the Institute of Languages at Kabale University, argued that mother tongues should not be considered secondary options. Instead, they are essential for modeling children’s critical thinking and skills development, particularly at lower levels of education.
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Kabale University Vice Chancellor, Professor Joy Kwesiga, urged the government to design policies that emphasize local languages at all levels of education. She noted that Kabale University has established the Faculty of Cultural Heritage Studies, which aims to promote the preservation of culture and mother tongues.
Professor Emmanuel Muranga, head of the Institute of Runyakitara Language Studies at Kabale University, revealed that the institution has graduated 43 students with Bachelor’s degrees in Runyakitara language studies, with another 134 students currently pursuing the course. Muranga proposed teaching mother tongues up to at least Primary Seven, arguing that this could create up to 43,000 jobs in Uganda.
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In response to the concerns raised, Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Dr. Kedress Mutabazi appreciated the positive criticism against prioritization of the English language as the medium of communication in Schools. She also acknowledged that literacy levels have improved across the country due to the intensified teaching of mother toungues in Schools.
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