Nwakannaya1:


Primary school is not same as secondary, the foundation you need to excel in studies is laid in primary school.

If you instruct in local language in primary school and start instructing in English in secondary school, there would be a knowledge and comprehension lacuna in that child's life, this would be a result of the change in the pedagogy.

I was once a teacher in the north and I had to teach kids in secondary school in English, these were people who were taught in Hausa during their primary school. There was hardly communication, and when there's no communication learning hardly comes in. People who understood basic science taught in Hausa while in primary school can hardly understand basic science taught in English in secondary school. This is where I have my reservation for not reading the policy document, this is because there might be an arrangement to continue instructing in local languages beyond primary school which this news is not telling us. However, from what is available in this piece of news, the policy is poorly thought out, continuity and sustainability were binned.

On the other hand, you suggested that pupils be tested for local language proficiency through an exam. This has its loophole because for instance people who speak English every day still fail English exam, people who speak Igbo still fail Igbo exam. Somehow, the policy would be denying secondary education to many people who could speak local language.

Then, on a general note, when national cohesion and nation building is being pursued, there is usually serious need for language uniformity in the instruction of children, it is what they head as kids that they hold on to most. Even though they must have been taught the same thing in different languages, whenever there is need for them to meet, the difference would be conspicuous and competition for language supremacy would start creeping in.

If these do not still make sense to you, I'm afraid, no objective explanation would.

Yampotatocarrot:


Mother tongue, YES... But the minister then said it'll be the dominant language of the community where the school is located

There seem to be a mix-up

ExAngel007:


https://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2022/11/fg-approves-mother-tongue-as-compulsory-language-of-instruction-in-primary-schools.html

Sagamite:


Mister, stop this thing. I dey watch news well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assam#Languages

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Uttar_Pradesh#Official_languages

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bengal#Languages

Each region has its own set of official languages. Hindi is not the only official language.

Babinski:


English and Hindi are the two official languages of the country of India and that is enshrined in the Constitution. States or Regions may have their own additional official langauges but that is not at the national level.

ElSudani:


Seven countries, I've been to four of them. Where have you been to?

cocolacec:

All the countries he mentioned speak in the mother tongue or the language of their host community.
I have been to Germany before even Amercan sitcoms are dubbed in German on TV not subtitled.
Only enslaved people cherish the language of a coloniser.

Cantonese:


I have been to Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Abuja, Jos, Kano, Sokoto, Benin, Adamawa, Birnin Kebbi, etc. Abeg bros no bobo us. You never cross your immediate location reach anywhere. You are planning japa through Agadez.

cocolacec:

Your Governors/Elders of the region will decide on the language of the majority.

musicwriter:


Good day my brother

I feel a need to reply you because you appear to be making a logical argument but you don't just understand there's history of nations switching from language of slave masters back to their own language. You don't understand that all the fine arguments you have here have already been trashed by other nations when they were in our shoes.

For your information, so many countries have already done what Nigeria is planning to do, and all the supposed logical arguments you have came up.

Vietnam was colonized by France and Netherlands. But they returned to being themselves and learning in their native Vietnamese. When they were making the switch back to Vietnamese, educated people like you were running out of Vietnam, their own country to France and Canada, citing "percussion". What a shame!

Same thing with Malaysia. Malaysia had bitter experience from Britain and Japan but they moved from English to their native Malay. However, this didn't stop teaching or learning in English in Malaysia. They're still English schools in Malaysia today. In fact, Nigerians go to school there.

Likewise Indonesia. They've made the switch from English back to their native Indonesian. But English is still a subject in Indonesian schools just like every other subject.

What you should understand is that English is just a subject in school and would still be taught to children in primary school in Nigeria. So, a Nigerian child learning in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Bini, etc would still speak perfect English!! Nobody said that in English would no longer be taught in primary school as a subject.

Britain tried everything to hoodwink Japan into learning in English. Do you know that Japan studied in English for 10 years? Indeed, Britain initially succeeded and Japan studied in English for 10 years. But they quickly realized the bigger picture and the potential damage it would cause, so they went back to their native Japanese. Today, they're enjoying the benefits of being themselves

How about your Britain itself?

Britain was enslaved by Greece, Rome, and colonized by Germany, Scandinavians, France.

Each time Britain was under slavery or colonialism, they spoke the language of the enslavers. Indeed, that's why the English language is a scared language constituting Greek, Latin, German, French, etc.

But in 1348, Britain came to their senses and banned the use of Greek and Latin in school. Your Britain implemented the same thing Nigeria wants to do!!

Then, in 1362, other languages were banned completely in every other thing and English became an official language.

The first English newspapers was written in 1702. Before then, they were written in Greek, Latin, French, etc

That's briefly how Britain fought for their freedom. This is brief because it took them about 300 years to achieve it.

Do you know what delayed the freedom of English people to reclaim their native language? There was so much foot dragging along the way because educated people in Britain like you (those educated in Greek and Latin) were making all the so called logical arguments you're making here.

Having been enslaved in Greek and Latin language, they didn't know the power in their native language! Like you, they didn't realize that no amount of "logical" reason was enough to learn, speak and write in a language other than their native English.

My brother, please understand that our ancestors accepted the English language as slaves. They didn't think it through, it was accepted under duress.

Set your mind free! All the "logical" reasons you have for English are shortsighted and momentary. The initial huddles you worry about would be overcome within a couple of years. Then, we'll become free indeed.

We're not English people. We are Africans!!

If you need further information about everything I've said, read the link on my signature. Read the PDF version only, not the article.

Nwakannaya1:


You missed one thing, you are making reference to nations, not artificial countries that are products of colonial decisions. I'm being realistic, those things that worked in those countries cannot work here. Nigeria is made up of many nations, over 200 of them, this makes it difficult to implement that policy, it is unrealistic having 270 official languages or languages of instruction.

If the old Oyo empire were to be a country in the 21st century, Yoruba would be a language of instruction in it, if kanem bornu empire were to be a country in the 21st century, kanuri would be an official language there, this applies to nupe kingdom, Benin empire, and every other single nation lumped up in the country called Nigeria.

This is the situation under consideration, it is not about choosing to use a foreign language or not. The countries you cited have something in common, they have a dominant language which over 70 percent speak. It is not the same in Nigeria.

If it would work, then the country need to divide itself into nation's first.

In Nigeria, about 450 languages are spoken and this is more than twice the number of languages spoken in the entire Europe. When comparative study is being done, one should not discard peculiarities.

Let me leave this here, how would you feel if your child is instructed with a local language different from yours just because you live outside the area where your language is dominant? Nigerian languages are too many, they should rather be studied as subjects not serve as language of instruction.

Nwakannaya1:


You missed one thing, you are making reference to nations, not artificial countries that are products of colonial decisions. I'm being realistic, those things that worked in those countries cannot work here. Nigeria is made up of many nations, over 200 of them, this makes it difficult to implement that policy, it is unrealistic having 270 official languages or languages of instruction.

If the old Oyo empire were to be a country in the 21st century, Yoruba would be a language of instruction in it, if kanem bornu empire were to be a country in the 21st century, kanuri would be an official language there, this applies to nupe kingdom, Benin empire, and every other single nation lumped up in the country called Nigeria.

This is the situation under consideration, it is not about choosing to use a foreign language or not. The countries you cited have something in common, they have a dominant language which over 70 percent speak. It is not the same in Nigeria.

If it would work, then the country need to divide itself into nation's first.

In Nigeria, about 450 languages are spoken and this is more than twice the number of languages spoken in the entire Europe. When comparative study is being done, one should not discard peculiarities.

Let me leave this here, how would you feel if your child is instructed with a local language different from yours just because you live outside the area where your language is dominant? Nigerian languages are too many, they should rather be studied as subjects not serve as language of instruction.

musicwriter:


I understand your concern very well and, indeed, already gave someone with similar concern an answer in my first post on this thread. Let me repost.

"Though this policy would make a lot of sense if implemented when we practice true federalism (restructured Nigeria) but don't worry because there would be Yoruba schools in Kano.

Likewise, there would be Hausa schools in Lagos.

There would be Igbo schools in the North too and Hausa schools in Igbo land.

So, no matter what part of the country a child comes from, he/she would be schooled in a school teaching in is his/her mother tongue in that location.

But then, the parents of an Igbo child born in Kano, for example; may opt for the child to attend Hausa school instead of an Igbo school in Kano if they so wish. A Hausa family living in Anambra may also opt for their children to go to an Igbo school instead of a Hausa school in Anambra if they so wish. See, it would be about what tribe offers the best quality education if we're talking about a revolution in the educational sector up to university level.

In fact, to even make it better, it shouldn't only be limited to primary school but should extend till university if we really want to take control of our minds, knowledge and power as black people. That's when the Nigerian diversity would begin to make sense and would, for example; lead to home-grown intellectual competition to see who'll produce the best physicists, chemists, biologists, authors, economists, etc in our native languages.

That's the shortest path to get the illusive unity they are talking about"

In addition to the above, you're not being realistic, rather you're being naively pessimistic. A journey of a thousand miles begin with a step. You need to take the first step!!

You're pessimistic and scared to take the first step, that's why you only see every possible reason it won't be possible. Start from this moment thinking how it would or should work, not why it won't work.

Finally, Malaysia and Indonesia are actually more diversified than Nigeria. Indonesia alone has more than 17,000 Islands speaking more languages than Nigeria. Indonesian as a national language came to be as they began solving the type of problem we're talking about here. Same thing with Malaysia. Malaysia has more than 3,000 Islands speaking different languages. Again, Malay emerged as the national language as they began solving this type of problem. Well solve ours too when we take the first step. Because if we cannot find a solution to same problem that others have solved in many other formerly colonized third world countries, it then means that something is wrong with our brains.

Nwakannaya1:


You are very optimistic rather than realistic. Would there be an Idoma school in the remoter villages of Zuru LGA of Kebbi State? Would there also be an Ebira school in the riverine Ijaw area of Sagbama LGA. By implication, you are saying there is a possibility of having over 450 schools in every single community? Quite unrealistic.

Assuming you are running a federal system which could accommodate the constituents of the country better, along which lines are the federating units going to exist? Traditional ethnic groups? Or the artificial States and regions which are notorious for their intradifferences?

If the federating units are the original ethnic groups, that is over 200 federating units, if this can be achieved which is very unlikely, then your proposition can fly, otherwise, it is not feasible.

musicwriter:


Admittedly, it may not work exactly as I've described it but I wanted to stretch all the possibilities to it's very limit. But the only reason it won't work that way is because we're suffering a serious case of intellectual slavery.

In practice, it would probably work something close to the way the government has explained it. People would be schooled in the major language spoken where they live. Else move to where a school in their language could be found. There's nothing wrong with that.

But then, any culture (language) that cannot be used to acquire knowledge, the culture must die because it's useless. Culture must solve problem!! That's the very reason a culture exists.

If this policy comes alive, it would be a turning point in history and any Nigerian culture that cannot evolve with it, should die. It has been that way for thousands of years. There are extinct cultures and they died because they couldn't evolve with time.

If we cannot name the animals and plants in the forest in our native languages, then we're not worth to be called human beings.

If we cannot name the cockroaches, all the leaves, ants of all types, plants of all types, roots and study even their interiors plus pass that knowledge to our future generation, then we're not worth to be called human beings.

If we cannot document all the snakes in the forest- poisonous and non poisonous snakes, plus state the antidote for the poison, then we're not worth to be called human beings.

If we have to continue to learn everything from white people, including the very mundane act of writing and speech, then we're not worth to be called human beings because there's no other reason that we must be said to be more intelligent than a Chimpanzee. Even animals communicate in a language not given them by man. So, why can't a so called human being do that??

And this reminds me of something. Let me share something with you.

Few weeks ago, there was news of Davido's little son, Ifeanyi, drowning in a swimming pool. And nobody could save his life!! Upon all the so called knowledge we've gotten from white people.

But when I was growing up in the village back in the 80's, we did save the life of a little boy who fell inside a well and was under the water for several minutes.

It happened that as I just came back from school and was removing my dress, someone came running through the streets, shouting in a frightened voice "onye nwe ubube e!. Nwanta dabara n'ime mmiri", which in this dirty English language, means "who has ladder. A little child has fallen inside water". He kept repeating that as he ran from street to street. Sometimes he'll mention the name of the father of the child.

In the village everyone knows everyone, so those who have ladder began immediately bringing them out and started running towards the house of the man he mentioned.

I followed the trail and arrived at the well just at the time the boy was brought up from out of the well. I believe it would be nothing less than 15 minutes I first heard the ladder cry. The boy must have been under water for at least 15 minutes, and I am being very conservative here.

In my presence an African physician gave the little boy a first aid. The boy's stomach was as big as a balloon....even Alisha isn't fat enough LOL. The African physician (trained by African tradition on how to give first aid) kept pressing the stomach of the child.

Then I saw this horrible sight of water forcefully coming out of the boy's nose, mouth, ears, anus, even from his eyes all at the same time!! It was like an opened tap running out at high pressure. The mouth, nose, ears, eyes, anus are connected!

Once all the water was pumped out, the boy was left alone. Some onlookers already gave up hope and said he won't make it. Some said we should all wait.

Believe it or not, within few minutes the boy had his first breath and everybody erupted with joy. And that's how the boy's life was saved.

If I were around at the time and where Davido's child fell inside the swimming pool, I'll have revived the boy using an African acquired knowledge. There was no need taking the boy straight to the hospital. He could have been revived using the same method narrated above.

But today, Africans are waiting for the white man to tell us how to resuscitate an African boy who fell inside the swimming pool in an upscale environment where the odds should be in favor of finding people who should've saved the life of the little boy.

Instead, we're waiting to learn the human anatomy from white people. We're waiting for white people to teach us what's worth knowing and what's not worth knowing.

The result is the situation we find ourselves today on the African continent- a people incapable of solving their problem with self inspired knowledge. And this is the problem that the Nigerian government is trying to address but there are people who call themselves "educated" but have no clue of the benefits.

Note: If you find any part of what I said offensive, remember that I am not speaking to you personally on the last part.

musicwriter:


Good day my brother

I feel a need to reply you because you appear to be making a logical argument but you don't just understand there's history of nations switching from language of slave masters back to their own language. You don't understand that all the fine arguments you have here have already been trashed by other nations when they were in our shoes.

For your information, so many countries have already done what Nigeria is planning to do, and all the supposed logical arguments you have came up.

Vietnam was colonized by France and Netherlands. But they returned to being themselves and learning in their native Vietnamese. When they were making the switch back to Vietnamese, educated people like you were running out of Vietnam, their own country to France and Canada, citing "percussion". What a shame!

Same thing with Malaysia. Malaysia had bitter experience from Britain and Japan but they moved from English to their native Malay. However, this didn't stop teaching or learning in English in Malaysia. They're still English schools in Malaysia today. In fact, Nigerians go to school there.

Likewise Indonesia. They've made the switch from English back to their native Indonesian. But English is still a subject in Indonesian schools just like every other subject.

What you should understand is that English is just a subject in school and would still be taught to children in primary school in Nigeria. So, a Nigerian child learning in Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Bini, etc would still speak perfect English!! Nobody said that in English would no longer be taught in primary school as a subject.

Britain tried everything to hoodwink Japan into learning in English. Do you know that Japan studied in English for 10 years? Indeed, Britain initially succeeded and Japan studied in English for 10 years. But they quickly realized the bigger picture and the potential damage it would cause, so they went back to their native Japanese. Today, they're enjoying the benefits of being themselves

How about your Britain itself?

Britain was enslaved by Greece, Rome, and colonized by Germany, Scandinavians, France.

Each time Britain was under slavery or colonialism, they spoke the language of the enslavers. Indeed, that's why the English language is a scared language constituting Greek, Latin, German, French, etc.

But in 1348, Britain came to their senses and banned the use of Greek and Latin in school. Your Britain implemented the same thing Nigeria wants to do!!

Then, in 1362, other languages were banned completely in every other thing and English became an official language.

The first English newspapers was written in 1702. Before then, they were written in Greek, Latin, French, etc

That's briefly how Britain fought for their freedom. This is brief because it took them about 300 years to achieve it.

Do you know what delayed the freedom of English people to reclaim their native language? There was so much foot dragging along the way because educated people in Britain like you (those educated in Greek and Latin) were making all the so called logical arguments you're making here.

Having been enslaved in Greek and Latin language, they didn't know the power in their native language! Like you, they didn't realize that no amount of "logical" reason was enough to learn, speak and write in a language other than their native English.

My brother, please understand that our ancestors accepted the English language as slaves. They didn't think it through, it was accepted under duress.

Set your mind free! All the "logical" reasons you have for English are shortsighted and momentary. The initial huddles you worry about would be overcome within a couple of years. Then, we'll become free indeed.

We're not English people. We are Africans!!

If you need further information about everything I've said, read the link on my signature. Read the PDF version only, not the article.

Nwakannaya1:


We are living in an increasingly globalised world, there is no culture immune to changes neither is any culture foolproof. While language is an important and indispensable aspect of any culture, such culture would not go into extinction just because the language is not used for formal instruction.

Furthermore, I have seen traditional doctors treat someone for months without any improvement but when the person went to the hospital and received treatment for one week, his health was restored.

BigBashiru:


Sagamite earlier today you said Nigerians act like monkeys initially I was offended but after much thought I kinda agree....il open a thread about that later.....one big proof that Nigerians may be monkeys is the overly aggressive culture of always shouting at the slightest thing, rough aggressive driving not giving way to pedestrians etc

Napata77:


YOU ARE A LIAR, AND YOU JUST PULLED THAT OUT OF YOUR ASS TO BUTTRESS YOUR SLAVEBOY ARGUMENT.

NIGERIANS VISIT THE HOSPITAL FIRST, IF THEY CAN, AND WHEN THAT DOES NOT WORK, THEY GO TRADITIONAL. NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND. LIAR.

Napata77:


Your prostitute mother is a 'monkey' you nasty, dirty maggot.

Nwakannaya1:


We are living in an increasingly globalised world, there is no culture immune to changes neither is any culture foolproof. While language is an important and indispensable aspect of any culture, such culture would not go into extinction just because the language is not used for formal instruction.

Furthermore, I have seen traditional doctors treat someone for months without any improvement but when the person went to the hospital and received treatment for one week, his health was restored.

You can't name every animal, plant or organism in a local language without first seeing them, many living things are "geolocational", you can only have a name for a thing that exists within the location. If you don't manufacture car, you cannot have a local name for it because it is not original to such group, the best that can happen is to translate to possible meaning.

These are realities

BigBashiru:


Nigerians are monkeys and blacks in general are a very lazy people. That's a proven fact. One of the proof is the vast majority of African countries are messed up. This is the fact. Ur insults are of no effect and only goes to prove ur a monkey.... how to know monkeys is emotionalism and sentimentalism over the facts....