Africa: Speaking the Same Language? Africa and the Future of La Francophonie “After 32 years of la Francophonie struggling to be relevant, is it in fact time for French-speaking African nations to start writing their political narratives in a different language?
Bidding adieu to their roots?
Rwanda and Gabon both seem to think so and are moving away from La Francophonie, renouncing their post-colonial, French-speaking identity for a more diversified, English-speaking future.” By Ayoola Alabi, 1 November 2012 Think AfricaPress
Rwanda’s new education policy document demonstrates the Kagame administration’s commitment to education access for all its 8 million citizens. In the context of this sensitive post-genocide climate, the education policy is especially remarkable for three things:
First, the government is fully commited to equity – education access is a “right” for all citizens – women and men. Secondly, the government has committed itself to a review of education delivery and updates every four years. Currently, the administration is implementing stage five (2010-2014) since it came to power after the fall of the previous rule of Juvenal Habyarimana. These updates and reviews are critical because they allow the government to correct mistakes, as well as to emphasize those skills that Rwandans need that are also concurrent with market demands.
Thirdly, and just as critical, education in Rwanda today is delivered in three compulsory languages: indigenous Kinyarwanda, French and English. The previous education system was solely in French -the colonial language. This is very significant in this post-colonial era to elevate, recognize and affirm the mother tongue as a mainstream medium of instruction. It is also significant to note that countries like Portugal and Angola still conduct their educational delivery in Portuguese – 17 years after independence from Portugal in 1975. The majority of Sub-Sahara African countries still deliver education and recognize either French or English as official languages at the expense of their own indigenous tongues. In this context, Rwanda’s new education system is exemplary because places its own indigenous language (Kinyarwanda) as a main medium of instruction alongside English and French.
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