Implementing Local Languages Medium Education in the Early Primary Curriculum of Ugandan Schools: Authors: Kathleen Heugh and Bwanika Mathias Mulumba With: Stellah Tumwebaze, Godfrey Sentumbwe, Joseph Kaaya, Simon Mukula, Humphry Muhangi and Joyce Nairuba Literacy and Adult Basic Education LABE MTE Implementation in Uganda a b LABE MTE Implementation in Uganda Implementing Local Languages Medium Education in the Early Primary Curriculum of Ugandan Schools: Literacy and Adult Basic Education LABE MTE Implementation in Uganda i Contents List of Acronyms .......................................................................................................................v Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................vi Executive Summary ................................................................................................................vii Key Achievements ...................................................................................................................ix Improved learner achievement in literacy and numeracy.....................................................ix Increased community and parental awareness of the value of local languages in education ix Increased capacity of language boards ................................................................................. x Production and use of sample reading materials .................................................................. x Production of children’s magazines ....................................................................................... x Teacher education ................................................................................................................... x Dissemination of experiences to policy makers ................................................................... xi Significant challenges and risks ............................................................................................. xi Recommendations ................................................................................................................. xi Extend timeframe, or initiate a second phase for the MTE Project .................................... xi Consolidate objectives, possibly focussing on fewer objectives and fewer activities ....... xi Language Boards ................................................................................................................... xi Parent Educators and HLCs .................................................................................................. xii Reading and learning materials production ........................................................................ xii Electronic resources in local languages for schools, language boards and the national system xii Relationship between community stakeholders and LABE ................................................ xii Language education policy monitoring and review ............................................................ xii 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. Contextualising MTE and the use of Local Languages in Education ............................. 5 2.1. The History of the Language Policy in Education ..................................................... 6 2.2. Education and Curriculum Policy in Uganda ............................................................. 7 2.3. International Research on Mother-Tongue, Bilingual and Multilingual Education 8 3. Methodology................................................................................................................... 11 4. Findings .......................................................................................................................... 16 4.1. Schools and Home Learning Centres by District ................................................... 16 4.1.1. Arua ................................................................................................................... 17 4.1.2. Koboko ............................................................................................................. 20 4.1.3. Yumbe .............................................................................................................. 22 4.1.4. Adjumani .......................................................................................................... 24 4.1.5. Gulu .................................................................................................................. 25 4.1.6. Amuru and Nwoya ........................................................................................... 26 4.2. District and Local Government Officials ................................................................ 28 ii LABE MTE Implementation in Uganda 4.2.1. Arua .................................................................................................................. 28 4.2.2. Koboko ............................................................................................................. 30 4.2.3. Yumbe .............................................................................................................. 31 4.2.4. Adjumani .......................................................................................................... 32 4.2.5. Gulu .................................................................................................................. 34 4.2.6. Amuru and Nwoya ........................................................................................... 35 4.3. Language Boards .................................................................................................... 36 4.3.1. Kakwa Language Board – Koboko ................................................................. 36 4.3.2. Aringa Language Board - Yumbe .................................................................... 37 4.3.3. Madi Language Board - Adjumani................................................................... 37 4.3.4. Acholi Language Board - Gulu ......................................................................... 38 4.4. Centre Co-ordinating Tutor (CCT) Interviews ........................................................ 39 4.4.1. Centre Co-ordinating Tutor (CCT) Koboko ..................................................... 39 4.4.2. Centre Co-ordinating Tutors (CCT) Yumbe ..................................................... 39 4.4.3. Centre Co-ordinating Tutors (CCT) Adjumani ................................................ 40 4.4.4. Centre Co-ordinating Tutors (CCT) Gulu ......................................................... 41 4.5. Questionnaires ........................................................................................................ 41 4.5.1. Data from the questionnaires administered to district stakeholders .......... 41 4.5.2. Data from questionnaires administered to MLEN stakeholders .................. 42 5. National Stakeholders ................................................................................................... 45 5.1. Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) .................................................................................................................... 46 5.2. Uganda National Commission for UNESCO (UNATCOM) .................................... 48 6. LABE and AET Staff ....................................................................................................... 49 6.1. Monitoring and Evaluation ..................................................................................... 50 6.2. Financial Management and Financial Issues ......................................................... 51 6.3. Regional and District Based Programme Officers ................................................. 52 7. Partnership and Collaboration between AET and LABE .............................................. 57 8. Analysis of the Findings ................................................................................................. 59 8.1 Improved learner achievement in literacy and numeracy....................................... 60 8.2. Increased community and parental awareness of the value of local languages in education ......................................................................................................................................... 63 8.3. Increased capacity of language boards ................................................................. 64 8.4. Production and use of sample reading materials .................................................. 65 8.5. Production of children’s magazines ....................................................................... 65 8.6. Teacher education .................................................................................................. 66 8.7. Dissemination of experiences to policy makers ..................................................... 66 8.8. Significant challenges and risks .............................................................................. 66 9. Recommendations ..........................................................................................................67 LABE MTE Implementation in Uganda iii 9.1. Extend timeframe, or initiate a second phase for the MTE Project .................... 68 9.2. Consolidate objectives, possibly focussing on fewer objectives and fewer activities 68 9.3. Language Boards ..................................................................................................