(Hidden) potentials for African languages in curriculum reforms: examples from Kenya and South Africa

Abstract

Education systems are globally reformed to focus more on competencies and be more pupil-centred. Post-colonial countries like Kenya and South Africa face severe educational challenges regarding access, language policy and the quality of education. Both countries share a colonial history under the British Empire. South Africa rolled out its Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) curriculum, but soon reformed and later changed it substantially to the new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). Kenya implemented their Basic Education Curriculum Framework (BECF) only recently in 2017, which represents a Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). Both curricula do not have language policy as a priority, although many children in both countries have very limited exposure and competencies in English, the dominant language of learning and teaching (LoLT) in Kenya and South Africa. They can read English words in lessons, but quite often cannot explain their meaning. A semi-systematic literature review was conducted to analyse common or similar and different patterns in both countries as well as the academic representation of it. Together with own previous research, the study revealed that ideally language policy and curricular reforms need to be addressed simultaneously.