Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems amended and adopted by the Ministers of Education present at the African Conference on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 20-22 January 2010 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 20-22 January 2010 Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 20-22 January 2010

Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems

For some sixty years now, it has been recognized that the use of learners’ mother tongues as media of The purpose of this guide is to affirm the policy stance that multilingual and multicultural education should instruction in education systems improves the quality of education. Hence all experts regard mother- be chosen as the general education system in African countries, with a view to the transformation of African tongue instruction as a necessity and have recommended it repeatedly in many national and interna- societies. The aim of this transformation, in turn, is to reduce poverty through sustainable development tional fora, as is reflected in the following instruments: based on African languages and cultures. For this reason, it should be pursued through the programs of • The constitutions and laws of the countries concerned; existing institutions, whose capacity needs to be strengthened accordingly. Such an education system not • The fundamental education laws of the countries concerned; only offers equality of opportunity and success to all children, it raises the quality of the education provided because the learner’s own language is used as the medium of instruction, with the opportunity of learning • The conclusions of the first Conference of African States on the Development of Education in Africa, held in Addis Ababa in 1961, recommending mother-tongue instruction; other national and foreign languages. It also releases people’s creativity and strengthens social cohesion. In employing African languages, the education system helps to consolidate the decentralisation policies • The recommendations of the eighth Conference of Ministers of Education of African Member States adopted by some countries. (MINEDAF VIII), held in Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) in 2002, on changing and enhancing the status of mother tongues;

I ntroduction • The Regional Convention on Recognition of Studies, Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic Qualifications in Higher Education in the African states, adopted in 1981 and revised in 2002; • The International Convention on the Preservation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted in 2003 at the 32nd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris (France); • The Charter for the Cultural Renaissance of Africa, adopted in Khartoum in 2006; • The Language Plan of Action for Africa, adopted in Khartoum in 2006; • The Plan of Action of the Second Decade of Education for Africa, adopted by the African Union in Addis Ababa in 2006.

The guide was adopted by the Ministers of Education from the following countries, which attended the African Conference on the and the BMZ/GTZ (German cooperation). The initial version of the policy guide – presented to the Ministers and edited to take Integration of African Languages and Cultures in Education, held January 20-22, 2010, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Benin, into account their comments – was drafted by the following experts: Mr. Camille Roger Abolou, Mr. Sammy Beban Chumbow, Mr. Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Abou Diarra, Mr. Issa Djarangar, Mr. Marcel Diki-Kidiri, Mr. Maman Mallam Garba, Mr. Abou Napon and Mr. Norbert Nikièma, with Malawi, Mauritius, Niger, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia. The conference was jointly organized by the support from Mr. Adama Ouane, Ms. Hassana Alidou and Ms. Christine Glanz of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL). Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), and the Ministry The group charged with drafting the policy guide drew on an evidence- and practice-based policy advocacy brief created by UIL of Basic Education and Literacy of Burkina Faso, with the financial support of the Education Program Development Fund (EPDF) and ADEA. A multilingual and multicultural education policy requires: 1. The establishment of policy and legislative frameworks; 2. Awareness-raising and the development 2. General awareness-raising and advocacy at national level and the development of regional networks; of regional networks 3. Institutional strengthening and capacity building; 4. The development of monitoring and evaluation strategies for assessing learning 2.1 Awareness-raising and 2.2 Development of regional outcomes and follow-up; advocacy networks 5. Curriculum development and training of educators; 6. Publishing in national languages and book policies; The following actions should be taken: The multilingual and multicultural education policy will be implemented both at country level and at 7. Research and teaching innovations; > In the short term the sub-regional and regional levels. For the latter, 8. The mobilisation of financial resources. • Determine the expectations of local communi- it will be necessary to develop sub-regional and re- ties; gional networks and a strategic plan covering the • Implement a communication plan on the devel- actions to be taken in the short and medium terms opment of multilingual and multicultural educa- at all levels. 1. Policy and legislation tion, with the involvement of civil society orga- nizations (unions, parents’ associations, etc.); > In the short or medium term (depending on the country’s situation) A multilingual and multicultural education policy re- • Use African languages in government and ad- • Inform all components of society (political lead- ers, citizens, religious chiefs, opinion leaders, • Promote widely spoken cross-border languages quires the following actions: ministration, the juridical system, the media in education and for communication in the ma- and education – functions that in some coun- etc.) about the multilingual and multicultural jor regional and sub-regional groupings. > In the short term tries are currently conducted exclusively in for- education policy; eign official languages; • Build awareness among senior ministerial of- • Formulate a language and education policy ex- > In the medium term plicitly in favour of African languages, through • Cultivate the political will needed to promote a ficials (secretaries-general, directors-general, national consultations such as fora, «estates multilingual and multicultural education policy. national and regional directors) with regular • Harmonize education systems and policies across general» and national conferences; advocacy campaigns for better take-up of the countries, particularly as regards pedagogical language policy and the strategies for imple- models, diplomas and certifications, and teach- • Include the language dimension in all statutory > In the medium or long term (depending menting it; ing of widely spoken cross-border languages. instruments (constitution, fundamental laws, laws promoting languages, decrees, executive on the country’s situation) • Produce appropriate documents for this aware- orders, decisions, etc.); • Decentralize implementation of the policy by in- ness-raising work, use information and commu- nication technology and various media. • Enact regulations introducing African languages volving, at national level, various administrative units (states, regions, provinces, districts, etc.); in official examinations and competitions; > In the medium term • Develop a partnership with civil society orga- • Provide the possibility of translating policies written in foreign official languages into the lo- • Develop a partnership between the state and nizations, such as parents’ associations and civil society to ensure the quality of multilin- teachers’ unions, and obtain their involvement cal languages, in order to satisfy the right of each individual to have access to the informa- gual and multicultural education by introducing in implementing the policy of using African lan- or strengthening a regulatory framework; guages of instruction in official examinations tion in his/her own language; and competitions. • Give each region (within a country) the possibil- • Establish a multi-sector partnership. ity of having a linguistic policy that meets its particular needs. > In the short or medium term (depending on the country’s situation) • Use African languages for functions that en- hance their image;

4 > Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems < 5 3. Institutional strengthening 5. Curricula and training and capacity-building 5.1 Curriculum development and Models of multilingual and multicultural production of teaching materials ­education: The lack of qualified staff to implement the policy • Build awareness among senior ministerial of- • Develop models of multilingual and multicul- of integrating national languages and cultures into ficials (secretaries-general, directors-general, tural education based on the overall goals of national and regional directors) with regular Curriculum development: education is a major challenge for African countries. education and on the specific objectives pursued advocacy campaigns for better take-up of the The revision of education programs has a number of through the use of African languages in educa- We therefore propose the following actions to meet language policy and the strategies for imple- specific implications for the organization of teacher tion systems; this challenge in terms of training of trainers and menting it; training (pre-service and in-service) for teachers • Give preference to the most appropriate mod- teacher deployment strategies. • Train officials in writing African languages. who will be involved in this activity. It also con- els, namely additive models, which entail the cerns pupils, whose ages and learning capabilities > In the medium term use of local languages at all educational levels must be taken into account in developing balanced, in addition to the learning and actual use of • Sensitise people to and reinforce institutional > In the medium or long term (depending appropriate educational activities in order maximize official languages, and which are liable to bring competencies on the multilingual and multicul- on the country’s situation) the return on education. Such a revision necessarily the best internal and external returns; tural education system; • Draw up a master plan with all stakeholders con- entails the following actions: • Depending on the extent to which integration • Set up a guidance mechanism in the education cerned and a timetable for carrying out the fol- of local languages has been developed, consider ministry to conduct training activities, involv- lowing actions: > In the short term adopting either a bilingual model (first language ing all departments at all levels; -- Codify and gradually reinforce all local • Institutionalize the cultural practices of local and foreign official language) or a multilingual • Develop a training plan and strategies for teach- languages, including minority languages, communities to reinforce the use of African lan- model (first language, widely spoken national er deployment in a multilingual context; to make them suitable instruments for guages and cultures in education; language and foreign official language). education and national development; • Integrate national cultures in curricula on the • Make sure that senior education officials -- Aim in the long run to use all the country’s Guidance for teachers: ­assimilate the policy and strategies for imple- languages, beginning with those for which basis of a reference framework of cultural skills developed through a participatory approach and menting it; the most educational tools are available. • Ensure that teaching staff assimilate the skills- the involvement of the collective imaginations based approach, which has been adopted by of the various ethnic groups concerned. This most African countries; skills framework is used to produce appropriate guides and modules for teachers’ use, at all edu- • Develop subject-specific teaching methods in all cational levels; languages taught. 4. Evaluation and monitoring • To introduce the cultural elements integrated into the lesson plans of the various education- al levels, adopt either an integrated approach 5.2 Preparation of the teacher This policy will rely on existing institutions to imple- • Draw up a reference framework of skills on the through identification of the subjects that will training plan ment monitoring and evaluation. These institutions process of integrating national languages into “host” these elements or a systemic approach will be revamped and put in charge of monitoring, education systems (pre-primary, secondary, ter- that reserves specific classroom hours for this > In the short term tiary); new content. inspection, innovation watch and advice, at the na- • Introduce a strategic plan for training teach- tional and international levels. • Establish certifications to verify, validate and ers in post, beginning with refresher training. recognize educational attainment. > In the medium term Provision of pre-service and in-service training > In the short term for teachers and supervisors will require capac- • Use information and communication technol- ity-building for national training institutions • Draw up a master plan with all stakeholders con- ogy to digitize output in national languages and (universities, higher teacher training institutes, cerned and a timetable for carrying out evalua- promote distance education. tion and monitoring; teachers’ colleges and other training institu- tions);

6 > Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems < 7 • Introduce a pre-service training program based experience and skills and to promote mobility on the new approach adopted by the country; of teachers and trainers within sub-regions. This will help to make African languages more valu- 6. Publishing in national languages • Review the teacher profile in the light of the able on the job market; new requirements; and book policies • Develop a reference framework of skills in mul- • In the short, medium and long terms, build tilingual and multicultural education that is in the capacity of officials and actors working in keeping with the Arusha Convention (revised in In multilingual and multicultural education, it education, particularly supervisors, trainers of > In the short term 2002) and the African Union’s policy concerning trainers, teachers, curriculum specialists and is necessary to produce diversified, multilingual • Encourage the local production of books and recognition of diplomas. evaluation specialists; schoolbooks that have been adapted to both the na- privatize book production and distribution; tional, regional and international cultural realities • Revise training programs in the light of the mul- • Adopt a strong policy that guarantees access to and to the various languages taught or used as me- tilingual and multicultural education policy; books for all children; > In the long term dia of instruction. This offers countries a splendid • Adopt existing models of multilingual education • Introduce a national policy on teacher recruit- opportunity to introduce a schoolbook policy that • Support, as an integral part of the book policy, that have proved their effectiveness. ment that is in keeping with the multilingual creates and sustains the conditions required for the the gestation and development of country-level and multicultural education policy; country-level production of books by national and publishing structures, assist with the assimila- tion of techniques required to produce books of • Introduce a recruitment policy for teachers’ col- regional, privately-owned publishers, with a view to > In the medium term good quality. leges that gives preference to multilingual ap- both the ongoing education of the population and • Capitalise on local knowledge and know-how re- plicants. the development of a literate multilingual and mul- garding education in African languages; ticultural environment. For this reason, the follow- • Create training of trainers centers at regional ing actions are highly recommended: level, pool resources to train inspectors and ped- 5.3 Teacher deployment agogical advisors from a number of countries, strategies in a multilingual who will then train others using the cascade system, ensuring a multiplier effect; context • Strengthen trainers of trainers’ capacities in re- lation to multilingual and multicultural educa- > In the short term 7. Research tion, using an approach based on regional and • Decentralize teacher recruitment in connection sub-regional integration that takes account of with multilingualism. the use of cross-border African languages in > In the short term > In the short, medium and long term education. The point of this strategy is to pool • Establish a formal partnership among research • Carry out basic research in social sciences as a institutions, ministries, local authorities, ser- pre-condition for efficient multilingual and mul- vice providers and industry; ticultural education, with the aim of laying the foundation for the development of teaching and • Adopt a research policy that seeks to create or learning materials in the languages and subjects strengthen research and training institutions; taught; • Raise funding for research and step up coopera- • Link action research to basic research in order to tion within regional and international organisa- meet the needs of actors in the field; give prior- tions; ity to dialectological, socio-linguistic and ter- • Promote the development of a literate multi- minological descriptions, which can guide the lingual environment in order to reinforce the choice of languages of instruction / languages language skills of learners, in the formal, non- to be taught at national and/or regional level. formal and informal systems.

8 > Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems < 9 8. Resource mobilisation

• Mobilize sufficient internal and external funding and from bilateral and multilateral development to implement the multilingual and multicultural cooperation bodies; education policy; • Give the relevant structures the resources they • In national budgets, plan the appropriation of need; adequate funding needed to implement the mul- • Ensure sustainable financing for non-formal ed- tilingual and multicultural education policy; ucation, which tends to receive only a minuscule • Strive to raise additional resources from major portion of the resources allocated to education. sub-regional and regional economic groupings

Financial support for this publication is provided from ADEA core funds to which the following organizations contribute: African Development Bank (AfDB); The World Bank; European Commission; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF); Federal We repeat that the success of multilingual and multicultural education depends on: Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Department of Development Cooperation, Austria; Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of International • Consultative, participatory and democratic decision-making; Cooperation and Development, France; German Cooperation; Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland; • Optimal use of all national skills and translating this policy in action by integrating it into Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands; Norwegian Agency for countries’ planning and development programs, particularly their education budgets. Development Cooperation (Norad); Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Portugal; Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Switzerland; Department for International Development (DFID), United Kingdom; United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Open Society Initiative of South Africa (OSISA).

Text amended and adopted by the Publié Published by the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). ISBN-10: 92-9178-101-0 Ministers of Education present at the African Conference ISBN-13: 978-92-9178-101-0 Conclusion on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education © Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) 2010

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 20-22 January 2010 First print run: October 2010.

A French edition of this book entitled «Guide de politique sur l’intégration des langues et cultures africaines dans les systèmes éducatifs», is available: ISBN-10: 92-9178-106-1, ISBN-13: 978-92-9178-106-5

Cover design and layout: Marie Moncet Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) The following countries attended the African Conference on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures African Development Bank (AfDB) − Temporary Relocation Agency in Education, held January 20-22, 2010, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Central 13 avenue du Ghana − BP 323 – 1002 Tunis Belvédère – Tunisia African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, tel: +216/ 71 10 39 86 – fax: +216/ 71 25 26 69 Niger, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia. e-mail: [email protected] – web site: www.adeanet.org

10 > Policy Guide on the Integration of African Languages and Cultures into Education Systems For more information:

Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) African Development Bank (AfDB) – Temporary Relocation Agency 13 avenue du Ghana – BP 323 – 1002 Tunis Belvédère – Tunisia tel: +216/ 71 10 39 86 – fax: +216/ 71 25 26 69 E-mail: [email protected] – web site: www.adeanet.org

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) Feldbrunnenstrasse 58 20148 Hamburg - Germany Tel: +49 40 448 04 10 - Fax: +49 40 410 77 23 e-mail: [email protected] – web site: www.unesco.org/uil ISBN-10: 92-9178-101-0 ISBN-13 : 978-92-9178-101-0 ISBN-13 92-9178-101-0 ISBN-10: