All children, irrespective of their location, should have teachers who understand their language and culture to improve their learning. Yet, in many countries, children are taught in languages they do not speak at home.

According to UNESCO – “While the language a child speaks at home is often a crucial element of personal identity and group attachment, language can be a potent source of disadvantage at school because in many countries children are taught and take tests in languages they do not understand.” In Nigeria, most students speak their native language at home while being taught with a different language in school. This can make a student less interested in the subject.

Back then, I could remember many of my classmates skipping French classes because they do not comprehend the language; I am sure I was not the only one who experienced this. This is an example of what can happen when you do not understand the language you are being taught. While English remains our Lingua Franca, we must admit that not many people have a firm grasp of the language among the general populace. Things like this make it quite challenging to be taught in a language you do not understand.

Thank goodness, we have Learn At Home, an EdTech company that has come to the rescue. Learn At home aims to reduce the gap created due to the pandemic between the high class and the low class, making sure no child is left behind in their education. Currently, there are lots of classes on their website www.learnathome.radio, which spans from Primary 4 – SSS 3 and subjects like English Mathematics, Basic Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, etc. They also have examination readiness classes where teachers solve past questions of examinations like WAEC, NECO, JAMB, BECE, Common Entrance. It has been a brilliant solution.
They have decided to turn it up a nudge and do something unprecedented in this part of the world. Teach people in their local languages.

For now, they have full-blown Hausa classes, which you access via www.learnathome.radio/hausa, this has been gathering accolades all over the world. They also have an audio dictionary with words in both English and Hausa, which you can also access here www.learnathome.radio/audio-dictionary. These guys are just breaking grounds no one thought was possible. You can check them out and share them with your friends, family, teachers, students, colleagues, and every other person.