Stakeholders push for national languages policy

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

STAKEHOLDERS who attended the National Languages indaba that ended in Victoria Falls last week recommended the setting up of a specific ministry and fund dedicated to promoting use of indigenous languages.

This was the first ever such gathering for experts in languages and culture, traditionalists and traditional leaders, civic society organisations, historians and Government officials as the country pushes for a national languages policy.

Some of the recommendations included the urgent need to craft a national language policy, set up a board that will mandate teaching of indigenous languages not only as subjects but also for instruction, ensuring local products are packaged using local languages.

The meeting resolved that Government should invest in information communication technology for the promotion of local languages which can play a role in achieving an upper middle income society by 2030 through active participation of citizens.

There was general consensus for regulation of use of indigenous languages of Zimbabwe taking cognisance of our liberation values and promoting peace and harmony, unity in diversity in the country as well as identify and promote languages that were left out in the current constitution.

“The National Languages stakeholders Indaba held in Victoria Falls from 14 to 16 June 2022, hereby known as the Mosi-oa-Tunya Declaration of 2022, hereby declare that there should be a National Languages Policy, a National Languages Bill, a National Languages Board and a National Languages Fund. There should be a Ministry deliberately assigned to promote languages,” read part of the recommendations.

In his official address on Thursday, President Mnangagwa said indigenous languages were critical as a resource for social transformation, human capital development and wealth creation, while urging parents to teach their children mother tongues at home.

The policy should be explicit on family language policy concerns — including support for the deaf and all ministries should domesticate the National Language Policy which should also be explicit on how the resources of the language planning and presentations should be done. The National Policy Framework should be aligned with international best practice and also tap from cross-border languages that are already developed.

“The language of choice of a person should be respected at law so we know who we are through the use of our local languages in tourism, culinary industries among others. We should use local languages as enablers to give engagement, maximum participation and collaboration,” it was resolved.

Private and public institutions have a big role to play in promoting indigenous languages especially in teaching, interpretation, adaptation and translation services. It must be mandatory for all teachers’ colleges and universities to teach and develop indigenous languages in at least five languages of Zimbabwe focusing on literature embedded by the languages.

Also, all schools and educational institutions must teach all official languages in full instead of teaching these languages at an elementary level while a way should be found to infuse culture and technology in education, it was resolved.

In his closing remarks, chief director in the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Dr Benson Martins Dube said the inputs from the meeting will go a long way towards the quest for crafting a national languages policy Act and fund.

Representing traditional leaders, Chief Ngungumbane of Midlands said the meeting was an eye opener with regards to promotion of all indigenous languages.

“We interact and get to understand each other as a society through our respective local languages hence it is critical that all local languages be prioritised. This enhances unity and harmony as a nation,” he said.

The theme was: “Redefining the role of Zimbabwean languages for national development towards Vision 2030 and beyond.”- @ncubeleon