Q5
How does MTB MLE support social cohesion and national development?
None of the 196 nations recognized in the world today are truly monolingual. Multilingualism is the norm, even in those countries that recognize only one official language. In the past, policy makers may have assumed that“ development” was possible only if all citizens used a single language. Most language and education policies from those years required teachers to use only the officially recognized language for teaching. Teachers were even told to punish students who used their home language in the classroom or on the school grounds. Since then, many educators have realized that dominant language-only classrooms do not support“ Education for All”. Many policy makers have realized that language-exclusive education does not necessarily teach students to respect people from different backgrounds or prepare them to contribute positively to national unity and development. In fact, a study of language policy in Africa concluded that:
... political stability, peace, poverty reduction, economic development, and fully functional institutions require the recognition of linguistic and cultural plurality as indispensable resources( Wolff, 2011. p, 47).
There is now broad agreement that, with increasing globalization, countries that affirm and support multilingualism and multiculturalism are more prepared to deal with social, cultural and religious differences in their own country and in other countries. Well-planned and wellsupported MTB MLE programmes encourage students to be proud of their heritage language and culture and prepare them to interact successfully with people who look, talk, act and believe differently than they do.
MTB MLE RESOURCE KIT Including the Excluded: Promoting Multilingual Education
Q6
Does MTB MLE cost more than single-language education to implement and maintain?
Policy makers, especially in low-income countries, may assume that MTB MLE is much more expensive than education that uses only one language. However, if we compare the cost of MTB MLE with the social and economic costs of inadequate or failed education for children from minority language communities, it is clear that MTB MLE is a wise long-term investment. Here is what researchers found about costs and benefits of bilingual education in Guatemala:
The benefits of bilingual education for a disadvantaged indigenous population as an investment in human capital are significant. Students of bilingual schools in Guatemala have higher attendance and promotion rates, and lower repetition and dropout rates. Bilingual students receive higher scores on all subject matters, including mastery of Spanish. The efficiency of bilingual education is confirmed by a crude cost – benefit exercise. A shift to bilingual schooling would result in considerable cost savings because of reduced repetition. The higher quality of
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