adminSukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
TAHANGANA High School in Mangwe District is the first school that has introduced teaching of the Kalanga subject at secondary level.
Speaking during the launch of the first Form One class and handover of TjiKalanga textbooks to the school, Matabeleland South provincial education director Mrs Tumisang Thabela urged other schools within the province to follow suit and teach local languages.
“It is a great success that we launch the first ever TjiKalanga Form One class at Tahangana High School in Mangwe District.
This is the first school that is now offering the subject at secondary level. Language is an important tool for communication and for propagating and promoting our identity and our sense of being. The first thing that tells you one’s identity is the language. It is therefore important for all schools to teach local languages,” she said.
Mrs Thabela said communities had an important role to play in the successful teaching of the local languages in schools.
“There is a need to tap into the indigenous knowledge systems on TjiKalanga that we have, particularly within the elders. It is also an opportune time for writers, academics and researchers to start producing material in TjiKalanga so as to strengthen its teaching in schools. The successful teaching of TjiKalanga should be a task borne by all stakeholders including our traditional leaders as custodians of culture which includes language,” she said.
Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association (KLCDA) chairperson of festival and functions subcommittee, Mr Thamani Nleya said 60 textbooks had been donated to Tahangana High School.
He said the books had been authored by Mr Ntando Dumani who is a member of KLCDA writer’s committee.
“As an association we realised that there was a challenge at secondary schools as they didn’t have textbooks. We had previously authored books for primary school learners but secondary schools have been left out.
“We are in the process of penning more books for secondary schools and our wish is to distribute more books next year so that more schools introduce Kalanga at secondary level,” said Mr Nleya.
He said the association was, however, facing challenges in securing funds to publish text books. Mr Nleya also appealed to personnel who have expertise on writing Kalanga textbooks to partner with the association.
KLCDA is an organisation that exists for the promotion of the Kalanga language and its rich culture which for years has been subdued. The KLCDA compiled Kalanga textbooks for primary school levels which were recently launched and distributed to schools where TjiKalanga is spoken. Under that programme the association wrote the textbooks with volunteer Kalanga teachers.
Online Reporter