Language, Development Aid and Human Rights in Education: Curriculum Policies in Africa and Asia

by Zehlia Babaci-Wilhite

Overview

The debate about languages of instruction in Africa and Asia involves an analysis of both the historical thrust of national government and also development aid policies. Using case studies from Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia, Zehlia Babaci-Wilhite argues that the colonial legacy is perpetuated when global languages are promoted in education. The use of local languages in instruction not only offers an effective means to contextualize the curriculum and improve student comprehension, but also to achieve quality education and rights in education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781137473189
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	10/25/2015
Series:	Palgrave Studies in Global Citizenship Education and Democracy
Edition description:	1st ed. 2015
Pages:	181
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.03(d)

About the Author

Zehlia Babaci-Wilhite is Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of California-Berkeley, USA and a Research Affiliate at the Norwegian Center for Human Rights, University of Oslo, Norway. She has numerous publications and taught courses in Norway, Japan, India, France & Nigeria on issues related to language and culture, development & human rights.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations x

Foreword Martin Carnoy xii

Acknowledgments xvi

List of Acronyms xviii

Maps xx

1 Introduction: The Paradigm Shift in Language Choices in Education 1

Colonial languages 2

Globalizing English 3

Local languages as cultural capital 7

Organization of the book 10

2 Educational Issues in Africa and Asia 14

Dependency in language imperialism 14

Globalization and commodification of education 19

Education for self-reliance and empowerment as capability approach 21

3 Development Aid in Education 27

Historical background of development aid 28

The challenge for education aid 31

Aid effectiveness in education 33

4 Educational Aid in a Human Rights Perspective 39

Human rights in educational aid 39

A paradigm shift in local language and educational aid 41

Human rights in aid for sustainable transformation and development 46

5 A Rights-Based Approach in North-South Academic Collaboration within the Context of Development Aid 48

Norwegian aid in education for development 49

Historical collaboration between Norwegian and African Universities 51

The Norwegian master's program 52

A new model for institutional and transformation research outreach 53

The Norwegian higher education program 58

Future alternatives and challenges 61

6 Linguistic Rights for Appropriate Development in Education 67

The background of linguistic rights 67

The 4As: Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Adaptability 76

7 Language in education as a human right 79

7 Language-in-Education Policy 86

A comparative study of Tanzania and Nigeria 87

A comparative study of Zanzibar and Malaysia 96

8 Experiences in Countries That Have Chosen English as the Language of Instruction 108

The case of India 109

The case of South Africa 112

The case of Bangladesh 114

The case of Rwanda 116

9 Science Literacy and Mathematics as a Human Right 121

The role of language in science literacy 121

The use of English and its impact in science and mathematics 126

10 Conclusions and Recommendations: Local Languages and Knowledge for Sustainable Development 135

Bringing technology to the human rights in education agenda 141

Reversing the current trend in the digital age 142

Lesson learned from using digital learning 143

Notes 146

Bibliography 148

Index 173

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Drawing on extensive personal research and comprehensive literature reviews, Dr. Zehlia Babaci-Wilhite's new book is a tour-de-force analysis of the continuing colonization of the mind fostered by the use of European languages in basic schooling in many African and Asian countries. This linguistic imperialism is meticulously connected to issues of education equity and quality, children's rights, international aid, and development. The book is a must-read for comparative and international educators." - Steven J. Klees, Harold R. W. Benjamin Professor of International & Comparative education, University of Maryland, USA

"This book contributes to enlighten a crucial academic as well as a democratic and philosophical issue: The right to use your local language. It offers a high-level research and the work is both cutting edge and offers new knowledge to the fields of democracy, human rights and education." - Inga Bostad, Professor of Philosophy & Director of the Norwegian Centrefor Human Rights, University of Oslo, Norway

"This book illuminates the use of local languages of instruction and local curriculum for quality learning which is not only a human right worldwide, but it is also a 'fundamental' human right. Recommended to education scholars, policy makers and practitioners." - Jerome I. Okonkwo, Professor of Philosophy & Vice Chancellor Administrator, Imo State University, Nigeria.

Editorial Reviews

"Drawing on extensive personal research and comprehensive literature reviews, Dr. Zehlia Babaci-Wilhite's new book is a tour-de-force analysis of the continuing colonization of the mind fostered by the use of European languages in basic schooling in many African and Asian countries. This linguistic imperialism is meticulously connected to issues of education equity and quality, children's rights, international aid, and development. The book is a must-read for comparative and international educators." - Steven J. Klees, Harold R. W. Benjamin Professor of International & Comparative education, University of Maryland, USA

"This book contributes to enlighten a crucial academic as well as a democratic and philosophical issue: The right to use your local language. It offers a high-level research and the work is both cutting edge and offers new knowledge to the fields of democracy, human rights and education." - Inga Bostad, Professor of Philosophy & Director of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo, Norway

"This book illuminates the use of local languages of instruction and local curriculum for quality learning which is not only a human right worldwide, but it is also a 'fundamental' human right. Recommended to education scholars, policy makers and practitioners." - Jerome I. Okonkwo, Professor of Philosophy & Vice Chancellor Administrator, Imo State University, Nigeria.

From the Publisher