Language of instruction in Tanzania: Why are research findings not heeded?

Tanzanian Students' Attitudes Toward English

“…416–417) attributes high dropout rates and the large‐scale failure of formal education to the adherence to English‐only exclusionary education policies; he claims that “colonial education and the use of colonial languages have increased social inequalities along class and gender line” (p. 420). Qorro () believes Tanzania's language policy still serves the interest of the former colonial powers while acting as a “gate‐keeping device for the children of the elite” by making education inaccessible to the poor (p. 40). The current language policy in Tanzania, then, does not provide equal access to quality education and information for people throughout the country.…”

“…A general lack of teacher training, teacher proficiency, and funding present significant practical challenges to effectively implementing the current language policy in Tanzania. Based on the current level of teacher training and teachers' language proficiency in Tanzania, many researchers have raised concerns about teachers' abilities to effectively teach in English, the medium of instruction for all secondary teachers (Brock‐Utne & Holmarsdottir, ; Hardman, Ackers, Abrishamian, & O'Sullivan, ; Hardman et al., ; Heugh, ; Kyeyune, ; Mohamed & Banda, ; Qorro, ; Rubagumya, ; Vavrus, ). Moreover, Hardman et al.…”

“…Many scholars note the high status of English, a former colonial language, over Kiswahili, an indigenous language, in Tanzania (Arthur, ; Brock‐Utne, ; Brock‐Utne & Holmarsdottir, ; Ngonyani, ; Qorro, ). Although Kiswahili maintains a high status as the language of communication throughout the region, there is a concern that promoting a colonial language over a native one can affect citizens' perceptions and attitudes toward language, personal identity, and national unity.…”

Successful Transition to Secondary School in Tanzania: What Are the Barriers?

“…Using Kiswahili will allow teachers to evaluate learner's understanding in the subject being taught rather than just in English. It will also unshackle struggling teachers from the constraints of teaching in an unfamiliar language in which they may themselves struggle, allowing them to concentrate on teaching the subject knowledge, which is of greater interest and familiarity to them (Qorro, ).…”

“…Competence in English is far from uniform and far from sufficient in many classrooms. Lack of appropriate proficiency in English may limit a teacher's ability to develop students' understanding of the core content knowledge of their subject and limit their ability to deploy appropriate pedagogical strategies (Qorro, ). As they try to work around the challenges of English‐language communication in an effort to teach the content of their subject, three common teacher strategies have been observed in classrooms.…”