Overview of this MTB MLE Resource Kit
For thousands of years, parents have used their mother tongue to communicate with and teach their young children at home and in the community. However it was not until the middle of the twentieth century, with UNESCO’ s publication of The Use of Vernacular Languages in Education 1, that the benefits of mother tongue-based education were recognized internationally. A statement from the 1953 document later became one of the central themes in the Education for All( EFA) movement:
We take it as axiomatic... that the best medium for teaching is the mother tongue of the pupil( UNESCO, 1953, p. 6).
The 1990 World Conference on Education for All which took place in Jomtien, Thailand, marked the formal beginning of the EFA movement. At that conference, delegates from 155 countries agreed to make primary education accessible to all children and to reduce illiteracy around the world( UNESCO, 2015). Although“ language” was recognized as a central feature of education, few of the documents from that conference promoted the use of children’ s mother tongue( MT) in school.
“ Education for All” was once again the focus in 2000 at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal. The 1,100 participants at that conference agreed that by 2015, all children should have access to primary education. Several statements in the“ Dakar Framework for Action” recognized the importance of using students’ MT in the formal education system:
Governments and all other EFA partners must work together to ensure basic education of quality for all, regardless of gender, wealth, location, language or ethnic origin. Successful education programmes require:( 1) healthy, well-nourished and motivated students;( 2) well-trained teachers and active learning techniques;( 3) adequate facilities and learning materials;( 4) a relevant curriculum that can be taught and learned in a local language and builds upon the knowledge and experience of the teachers and learners;( 5) an environment that not only encourages learning but is welcoming, gender-sensitive, healthy and safe;( 6) a clear definition and accurate assessment of learning outcomes, including knowledge, skills, attitudes and values;( 7) participatory governance and management; and( 8) respect for and engagement with local communities and cultures( UNESCO, 2000, p. 17).
1 See http:// unesdoc. unesco. org / images / 0000 / 000028 / 002897EB. pdf
Overview of this MTB MLE Resource Kit
1