Mother-Tongue Education Vibrant in Rural Schools

 

With global concern on the best ways to impact good education and achieve academic excellence in all nook and crannies of both urban and rural communities, many scholars in the world suggest the use of indigenous languages to teach  in schools, in India for instance most basic science textbooks have been translated to Hindu, in some part of Nigeria, the northern part to be specific some book have been translated such as English dictionary to Hausa to ensure effective learning. but this idea is not welcomed by many, these set of scholars are on the perspective that knowledge must especially scientific knowledge should be taught on one universal language globally, but can that be acheived ?, Giving that the most spoken language in the world is not English.

Why not teach in the language that the students understand better, the ultimate goal is impacting knowledge, and it can be acheived in whatever language been taught.

A recent inspiration worth emulating from is the effort of some village schools such as a school called Nta-Akara school.

Despite the fact that indigenous languages are not appreciated in the urban schools, teaching and learning in mother-tongues thrive effectively in village schools. This was an outcome of findings in a case study of a local indigenous school owned by the St Paul's Catholic Church, Achalla. Here the original Achalla dialect is used to teach children ages between 2 years old to 5 years old. It is called Nta-Akara school. This is translated into Nursery School in English. 

The school serves a dual service of traditional and care - giving education. This means that aside the teaching of mathematics, health, natural, social and English language in Igbo language using Achalla dialect, mothers keep their little ones there for safety while they are away for farmlands.

It has been observed that children from this area are naturally very intelligent due to the use of mother-tongue in the teaching and learning at the early stage of their education. This is what surely obtains in other localities where mother-Tongue is used at the pre-primary education. It is worthy of emulation.

This practice should not be limited to just village schools, it should be legalized and adopted by both urban and rural areas nationwide and even at the global level. this will promote good education and will also help in strengthening the intelligent quotient (IQ) of students.