USA Africa Dialogue Series - English and Education Woes in Liberia

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Darlene K. Mutalemwa <mutalemwad@yahoo.com>
To:
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 2:17 AM
Subject: Education woes in Liberia -University not to admit any student

----- Forwarded Message -----
From:  
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 5:09 AM
Subject: Re: Education woes in Liberia -University not to admit any student

Dear All,

....................................

AND LIBERIA IS AN ANGLOPHONE COUNTRY. THEY SPEAK ENGLISH  FLUENTLY (in their own accent).

That reminds me of our days in the 1950s and 60s. The Pwani people/students spoke Swahili fluently BUT they used to do poorly in Swahili subject at the O -Level Cambridge School Certificate Examination, while some of us  could hardly speak the language. At our Secondary School it was prohibited to speak vernacular languages, which strangely included even Swahili. Yet we managed to pass that Swahili  exam with good Credit marks and  even with Distinction. But  all the subjects in class, except Swahili, were taught and written in English.

The lesson I want to convey here  is that the debate in Tanzania about  teaching all the  class subjects in Swahili  at all levels of schooling is misguided. The fault with our education is not the language we use BUT the substance (quality of education  in its fundamental nature). I should add, taking a cue from the reaction of the Liberian Minister, that the problem is not in the results of the exams or the way they are marked (assessed). 

If we can go back to basics  in the classroom, then we can sincerely deal with our education problem. The basics require that a child by class II  should be able to read and write (in any Language) and do simple arithmetic.  Basi.  {It may sound weird and  out of context to know that   we used to have a teacher at Rubya Middle School in the mid-50s who used Kihaya in teaching mathematics in class VI and  VII: and that did not make us fail the examination in that subject written in English}.

Naona niachie hapo.

[...]

On Tue, Aug 27, 2013 at 9:16 AM, Nestor Ilahuka <nestor.ilahuka@gmail.com> wrote:

Liberia students all fail university admission exam

Nearly 25,000 school-leavers failed the test for admission to the
University of Liberia, one of two state-run universities.

The students lacked enthusiasm and did not have a basic grasp of
English, a university official told the BBC.

Liberia is recovering from a brutal civil war that ended a decade ago.
'Dreams shattered'

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a Nobel peace laureate, recently
acknowledged that the education system was still in a "in a mess", and
much needed to be done to improve it.
Continue reading the main story
"Start Quote

    In English, the mechanics of the language, they didn't know
anything about it"

Momodu Getaweh University spokesman

Many schools lack basic education material and teachers are poorly
qualified, reports the BBC's Jonathan Paye-Layleh reports from the
capital, Monrovia.

However, this is the first time that every single student who wrote
the exam for a fee of $25 (£16) has failed, our reporter says.

It means that the overcrowded university will not have any new
first-year students when it reopens next month for the academic year,
he adds.

Students told him the result was unbelievable and their dreams had
been shattered, our reporter says.

Education Minister Etmonia David-Tarpeh told the BBC Focus on Africa
programme that she intended to meet university officials to discuss
the failure rate.

"I know there are a lot of weaknesses in the schools but for a whole
group of people to take exams and every single one of them to fail, I
have my doubts about that," Ms David-Tarpeh said. "It's like mass
murder."

Ms David-Tarpeh said she knew some of the students and the schools
they attended.

"These are not just schools that will give people grades. I'd really
like to see the results of the students," she added.

University spokesman Momodu Getaweh told BBC Focus on Africa that the
university stood by its decision, and it would not be swayed by
"emotion".

"In English, the mechanics of the language, they didn't know anything
about it. So the government has to do something," he said.

"The war has ended 10 years ago now. We have to put that behind us and
become realistic."

Source: BBC, 27 Aug 2013
--
Eng. H. Nestor Ilahuka
P. O. Box 105844 Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
Telephone: +255 22 2617082
Mobile:+255 715 076242, +255 687310326
---------------------------------------------------------------

We feast on the abundant food you provide;
You let us drink from the river of your goodness.
                       Psalms 36:8