Language Politics in Kenyan Higher Education through the Lens of Teacher Training Programmes

Abstract

In its preamble, the Kenyan Constitution recognizes ethnic and cultural diversity and the determination of Kenyans to live in peace and unity as one indivisible sovereign nation. The same is anchored in the country’s vision 2030, where cultural values, which are expressed in Kenya’s indigenous cultures, and define who the Kenyan people are, inform the values that embody and define the ideal Kenyan citizen who will receive the promises of Vision 2030. The Constitution gives guidance on language policy and recognizes language diversity that characterizes her people. First, the Constitution spells out the official and national languages in Kenya. In this regard, Chapter 2, Article 7 of the Constitution notes that the national language of the Republic is Kiswahili and that the official languages of the Republic are Kiswahili and English. This is a dramatic shift from the previous state of affairs where English was the only official language. Thus Kiswahili was elevated to the official language status. Further, the Constitution directs that the State shall promote and protect the diversity of languages of the people of Kenya and promote the development and use of indigenous languages, Kenyan sign language, Braille and other communication formats and technologies accessible to persons with disabilities. This move in the Constitution elevates the indigenous and sign languages, and other formats used by people with disabilities to communicate, such as Braille. As noted above, the Constitution gives provisions for the official use of Kenyan Sign Language. Chapter 4, Article 54, for example, notes that a person with disability is entitled to use Sign language, Braille or other appropriate means of communication. The elevation of sign language is further captured in Chapter 8, Article 120. The Constitution notes that the official languages of Parliament shall be Kiswahili, English and Kenyan Sign language, and the business of parliament may be conducted in English, Kiswahili and Kenyan Sign Language. This position of giving much status to sign language had not hitherto been considered for parliament. The Constitution recognizes the need for Kenyans to be affiliated with the cultures of their choice. Chapter 4, Article 44 of the Constitution states that every person has the right to use his or her language, and to participate in the cultural life of his or her choice. In addition, a person belonging to a cultural or linguistic community has the right, with other members of that community, to enjoy that person’s culture and use the person’s language; or form, join and maintain cultural and linguistic associations and other organs of civil society. Such provisions in the Constitution are geared at aiding the revitalization of all Kenyan languages, irrespective of the number of speakers, and more so, see to it that hardly any community languages become extinct. Kuo (2016) reports that some Kenyan languages are at the risk of becoming extinct. The Constitution is conscious of this fact and gives direction for the revitalization of such indigenous languages. In this regard, the Constitution in Article 56, mandates the State to put in place affirmative action programmes designed to ensure that minorities and marginalized groups develop their cultural values, languages and practices. This move is critical especially because Kenya has some languages with less than 5,000 speakers and need to be documented and described. For example, the Yakunte language, which is spoken in the Rift Valley region in Kenya has less than 4,000 speakers and only seven people (and they are over 70 years) can speak the language fluently. Such languages need the State’s attention and their culture preserved. Indeed when a language is lost, much more is lost than just its basic function as a tool of expression. As Njoroge and Gathigia (2018) note, there is, therefore, need for revitalization of the marginalized languages, bringing all of them forward, so that they too can play a vital role in the global village because every one of the world’s languages is unique and invaluable. The argument advanced in this paper is that higher education institutions in Kenya are best placed to drive this agenda because their mandate is to train, research and advise policy makers based on the findings of their research. Universities, for example, are the institutions charged with the responsibilities of training teachers for the lower tiers of education at both secondary and, given the rise of holiday based university programmes (whose targets are teachers without university degrees), primary school levels. According to Kenya’s Commission for University Education website, over two-thirds of the 71 national universities offer bachelor of education programmes that prepare teachers for various school levels. With promulgation of the Constitution in 2010, and as universities continue training teachers, the following questions beg: how are the universities implementing language provisions as spelt out in the Constitution? What languages are taught in these universities? Is equal attention given to all the languages in terms of prominence, resourcing, preparations, teaching and assessment? What attitudes do administrators, instructors and trainees have towards the five categories of languages? These are questions that this paper seeks to answer.