IS EDUCATION WITHOUT ENGLISH POSSIBLE?

Sir,

If I am not mistaken, Cabinet’s decision to review the passing of English in Standard V, the Forms III and V external examinations has taken others aback, those who support quality education will concur with me, save for those who can’t even figure out the difference.

To educators and educationalists alike, this has raised an alarm that the value of education in the country will diminish. For some parents, the value of education does not sink in, due to their diverse backgrounds, and when their children have not performed well at school, they find it hard to fathom what could have caused their children to perform badly. For the educated, Cabinet’s decision will harbour doubts and anxiety because this heralds a valueless and globally uncompetitive education, in which one will forfeit the privilege to study abroad but will only be limited to the country’s institutions.

English is a global medium of communication and making it a passing subject in the country instills the spirit of industriousness and perseverance, which places the learner on the global competitive scale. So why should we allow the instilled values to be wiped off the map? Cabinet’s decision on the matter won’t wash with the majority, since it seems to be a one man’s biased opinion? By and large, the debate is weighted in favour of those who have been failed by English. As I see it, this issue is increasingly backed, in a political sense, by politicians.

The Constitution the two official languages to be used interchangeably both in writing and speaking, but today a debate is to be conducted to decide whether English should remain a passing subject in schools or not. As far as speculation has it, the debate is steered to please the ever worried segment of society, when the cold reality is that the devastating post consequences will hit hard on the nation, with those who currently celebrate the move, wishing to revert to the former policy. Educationalists will agree with me that this mad aspiration will not materialise, since it is not a unilateral undertaking, all concerned stakeholders are entitled to vocalise their opinions.

At the other end of the scale, life is a constant struggle to get to the top of the social ladder, so why kill the competition in schools? The politicians who are instigating this debate have got nothing to lose because their children are afforded quality learning abroad and some are sent to English medium schools locally. What are Swazi children going to gain from this proposed policy? Why put a damper on their future? This is would be a huge step backwards. 

Simanga Shabangu

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