The social and human development impact of language of instruction: A comparative study of Senegal and Ethiopia

Wojcik, Molly

The social and human development impact of language of instruction: A comparative study of Senegal and Ethiopia

Persistent URL

https://dspace.allegheny.edu/handle/10456/56877

Author(s)

Wojcik, Molly

Date Issued

April 14, 2023

Abstract

The aim of this study is to observe how the educational and human development outcomes in Senegal would be impacted if the predominant language of instruction in primary schools within the public education system was an indigenous African language rather than a colonial language. Despite the large majority of the Senegalese population who depend on their indigenous African language, the official language of Senegal and its predominant language of instruction in public schools is French. However, Ethiopia’s public education system uses a multilingual approach, allowing primary schools to select which national language to use as the language of instruction in the public education system. This paper uses a set of educational outcomes, and a few select economic indicators, to ascertain how Senegal would fare if it adopted a national or indigenous language as the predominant language of instruction in primary schools, similar to Ethiopia’s 1994 educational reforms. The set of social and human development indicators analyzed in Chapter Three shows that Senegal would benefit from a similar multilingual pedagogical approach to Ethiopia if various challenges are first addressed, such as maintaining consistent syntax, creating sufficient learning materials, effectively training educators, supporting the policy financially, preserving community support, and evaluating the future outcomes of the multilingual policy. All of which would foster social and human development in Senegal.

Major

French

International Studies

Honors

International Studies, 2023

World Languages and Cultures, 2023

First Reader(s)

Onyeiwu, Stephen Z.