The implementation of the Namibian language policy in education: Lower primary grades and preservice teacher education

Abstract

In 1998, the Namibia Educational Research Association (NERA) was approached by the then coordinator of the Educational Research Network in Eastern and Southern Africa (ERNESA), Dr P. T. M. Marope, to invite NERA to participate in a regional policy research project, which was being funded by The Government of the Netherlands through its Embassy in Harare. Realising that this was a great opportunity to contribute to the debate on language policy, and with a view to presenting the findings to the Presidential Commission on Education, Culture and Training which was then being established, NERA immediately agreed to present a proposal for consideration. Two members of NERA, Professor Karsten Legère and Mr Richard Trewby from the University of Namibia, prepared a proposal on language policy, after discussions with the Research Unit of the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED). The Research Unit of NIED had already planned a research project on language issues in Lower Primary pre-service teacher training and they agreed to cooperate on the language policy project. This Report is the result of their work and NERA hopes that it will contribute significantly to the formulation of appropriate policies for language in education in Namibia.