South Sudan should have an intelligent language policy which introduces indigenous idioms as media of instruction instead of adopting a foreign language policy that failed in many African countries and contributed to low literacy rates.
Prof. John Myhill from the University of Haifa, Israel, told SCR News today that recent studies showed that literacy rates in Africa are the lowest in the world due to the use of foreign languages like English and French as media of instruction in schools.He explained that language policies in African countries were inherited from colonialists but governments failed to change them.
He added that English should never be a medium of instruction, but studied as a foreign language.
Prof Myhill said the central government should empower the state authorities to develop their own language policies.
He suggested that each state should adopt the language of the majority at all levels of education and government, while respecting minorities.
Prof Myhill said the central government’s language should not be an issue because it should coordinate rather than control the activities of the states.