Multilingualism in Benin. Some Reflections from the Perspective of Sustainable Development and Multilingual Education

Abstract

Summary The article provides an overview of the state of the Bariba language on the Replublic of Benin (West Africa) and reflects on the urgent need to make effective the wishes of implementing a language policy that promotes a rigurous multilingual education of quality that helps preserve native languages. Through some visits to local schools of the Beninese Departments of Borgou and Alibori and through the language autobiographies of significant people from the Bariba language community of those departments, we highlight five reflections that underline the importance of multilingualism and point out the multilingual school as a key element for the preservation of intangible heritage, for social development and for achieving the sustainable development goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.