Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study explored the condition of being a child and a primary school student in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. The study was instigated by the widespread complaints in the aftermath of Millennium Development Goal two (MDG2) that in eastern Ethiopia of (semi-) pastoralist community, children are left far behind with not only the opportunity to literacy. The aim of this study was to assess the existing EFL primary school literacy achievements, success and challenges in the Dire Dawa Town suburbs of Oromo and Somali semi-pastoralist communities. Adopting an ethnographic participant observation approach, five primary schools were selected based on convenience or accessibility. Totally, twentyfive active primary schools Grade 4 children and 14 dropouts were sampled based on availability sampling technique from the five schools. A Basic Vocabulary Assessment Battery (BVAB) was designed as a primary data collection tool. Besides, School Observation and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were employed. The BVAB results of those actively schooling indicate, in contrast to our original hypothesis, fair level of English literacy. However, the FDG data obtained from the dropouts confirmed our hypothesis that abject poverty and the fragility of implementing the policy of children's rights to education in their mother tongues are stumbling blocks to literacy as well as opportunity to schooling. Important policy implications are offered.