REACTION PAPER

LANGUAGE POLICY AND PAVITTHRA ARULCHELVAN

PLANNING IN BOTSWANA BY (GP06972)

V.PRATHIBARANI
LEONARD B M NKOSANA VERAMUTHU (GP06996)
Language Policy and Planning in Botswana is an article written by Leonard B M Nkosana,
published by The African Symposium in 2011. The paper discusses language planning in
Botswana, solution to the dominance of English and mother tongue education. Ruling elite
in Botswana has set the ex-colonial English as the official language for further education,
employment, economic and social positions while Setswana as a national unity tool.
Foreign teachers’ highly influence the implementation of English in Botswana schools due
to incompetence of native teachers in the target language. English versed society is
respected and given priorities to accomplish better job opportunities. Setswana, the local
language is only spoken in daily communication. The absence of orthographies limits its
official roles. Significantly, mother tongue education reveals students learn at their best
when the instruction given in Setswana language. It concerns the importance of mother
tongue education and should be implemented to prevent marginalisation of African
countries.

LANGUAGE POLICY AND

PLANNING IN BOTSWANA
SUMMARY BY
LEONARD B M NKOSANA
STRENGTHS

English-
official
Language language
planning and Setswana-
Highlights the policy in national
main points of Botswana in language (pg
Content is the paper terms of 129/130)
clear and political,
concise economic and
education
using English
and Setswana
(pg129-134)
STRENGTHS

Introduction
to Setswana
Demographic language
information
Background explained
details of with examples
Botswana
(pg 129)
STRENGTHS

Choice of
Pro- English
English usage in
Roles of Singapore
English policies in
Public vs China and and Brunei
private and (pg 135)
Relevant Swahili Malaysia
comparisons schools (pg 131)
(pg 130) (language)
in Kenya
and
Tanzania
(pg 131)
STRENGTHS

Public’s popular
demands to turn
Native teachers public schools to
supports English full English
medium education medium schools
Factual information
supported by relevant
findings (pg 134)
SHORTCOMINGS

Language
background

Swahili No prior
language introductio
(pg 131) n
SHORTCOMINGS

No recent/valid study
has been cited on
teachers’
qualification status Finding was
reported in1989 (pg
133)
SHORTCOMINGS
Did not justify
refusal of
Mother tongue’s language policy
Insufficient role in religious recommendation
evidence/ prospect (pg130) (pg 131)
explanation

How to develop
linguistic
resources?
(pg 132)
How to reduce
English
dominance?
(pg 130-132)
SHORTCOMINGS

Botswana is a
The need for
multilingual
multilingual
country (pg
education not
135)
emphasized
Suggestion
given
THANK YOU