Abstract:

ABSTRACT

This chapter analyzes the under-explored issue of medium of instruction for refugees, focusing on South Sudanese refugees in Uganda and Burundian refugees in Tanzania as illustrative cases through which to explore language dynamics. Our review reveals a key tension in refugee education between the importance of home language instruction for literacy and learning and the inclusion of refugee learners in national school systems in host countries to facilitate school access and persistence. We argue that policies and practices reflecting these two divergent bodies of research have implications for refugees’ learning, identity development, and sense of belonging. We offer a framework for conceptualizing socially just policies and practices for refugees in national school systems, taking into account the benefits of both home language instruction and inclusion in national systems and considering political and financial feasibility. Our review has implications for policy, practice, and future research related to medium of instruction and refugee education.

Sura hii inachambua suala la lugha ya maelekezo, lisilozingatiwa vizuri kati ya wakimbizi, likilenga wakimbizi wa South Sudan nchini Uganda na wakimbizi wa Burundi nchini Tanzania kama mifano itakayoonyesha uchunguzi wa mienendo ya lugha katika elimu ya watoto wakimbizi. Kazi yetu inaonyesha changamoto kubwa katika elimu ya wakimbizi kati ya umuhimu wa mfumo wa lugha ya nyumbani kwa ujuzi wa kusoma na kuandika na ujifunzaji na ujumuishaji wa wanafunzi wa wakimbizi katika mifumo ya shule ya kitaifa katika nchi za wenyeji ili kuwezesha ufikiaji wa shule kwa urahisi. Tunajadili kuwa sera za lugha katika mifumo hii miwili huleta mvutano kwa ufunzaji wa lugha kwa wakimbizi, utambulishajo na hisia ya kukubaliwa katika sehemu. Tunapendekeza sera zinazokubalika kwa wakimbizi walio katika mifumo ya shule za kitaifa, kuzingatia faida za mafundisho ya lugha ya nyumbani na ujumishaji katikia mfumo wa kitaifa na pia kuzingatia uwezekano wa kisiasa na kifedha utakaoruhusu ufundishaji wa mifumo hii miwili. Kazi yetu ina changamoto katika sera na utafiti ujao unaohusiana na mfumo wa lugha ya ufundishaji  na elimu ya wakimbizi.