Optimising Learning, Education and Publishing in Africa: The Language Factor

The authors of the study highlight that improvements in educational quality and learning outcomes derive from strong multilingual language models and socio-culturally relevant curricula that use African languages as media of instruction for at least six years. Further, they make the case that locally based multilingual publishing will support the education sector effectively and help to develop a literate environment. Both educational quality and publishing are instrumental in African nations' social and economic development, and in the continent's knowledge creation and scientific development.
Through this publication, policy-makers and others interested in how language use influences education and development obtain practice-based evidence and recommendations regarding policy, language education models, teaching, assessment, learning approaches and financing strategies adapted to the sub-Saharan African context.
The study has served as a foundation for the policy guide on the integration of African languages and cultures into education systems (2010) as well as the evidence- and practice-based policy advocacy brief "Why and how Africa should invest in African languages and multilingual education