The politics of mother tongue education : the case of Uganda

CITATION: Ssentanda, M. E., Huddlestone, K. & Southwood, F. 2016. The politics of mother tongue education : the case of Uganda. Per Linguam, 32(3):60-78, doi:10.5785/32-3-689.The original publication is available at http://perlinguam.journals.ac.zaThis paper aims to explain the trend of mother tongue (MT) education in Uganda by examining particularly government’s practices towards MT education. MT education was (re)introduced in Uganda in 2006/2007 due to disappointing literacy acquisition by learners with the hope of improving literacy skills among particularly rural children. Based on data gathered from rural government and private schools in rural areas, this paper questions what exactly it is that government seeks to reclaim, restore and/or rejuvenate in Uganda’s education system via MT education.Olupapula luno luluubirira okwanika omugendo gw’okusomesereza mu nnimi enzaaliranwa mu Uganda. Kino kijja kukolebwa n’okwebuuza ebibuuzo ku ebyo gavumenti by’ekola ku kusomesereza mu nnimi enzaaliranwa. Okusomesereza mu nnimi enzaaliranwa kwazuukusibwa nate mu Uganda mu 2006/2007 wakati mu mbeera y’okuyiga okusoma n’okuwandiika eyennyamiza. Okusomera mu nnimi enzaaliranwa kwazuukusibwa n’ekigendererwa ekikulu eky’okwongera ku mutindo gw’okuyiga okusoma n’okuwandiika naddala mu bayizi ab’omu byalo. Nga tusinziira ku byakuηηaanyizibwa mu masomero ga gavumenti n’ag’obwannannyini ag’omu byalo, olupapula luno lulimu okwebuuza ebibuuzo ku ekyo gavumenti ky’eruubirira okukomyawo, okuzzaawo oba n’okwongeramu amaanyi mu muyungiro gw’ebyenjigiriza mu Uganda ng’eyitira mu kusomesereza mu nnimi enzaaliranwa.http://perlinguam.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/689Publisher's versio