19 Feb 2019

Minister of Basic Education, Mr Bagalatia Arone says English is not the medium of instruction at pre-primary.

Mr Arone said learning at pre-primary actively engaged children and was child centred focusing on the needs of the learner.

“In this regard, teachers are to be flexible during classroom instruction to ensure that every child benefits from the day’s experiences,” he said.

Mr Arone further stated that the gradual introduction of English as a medium of instruction at pre-primary sets a foundation for learning of subjects’ such as English, Mathematics and Science at Standard One.

“Policy guidelines prescribe that the language of instruction must be the language used in the specific locality of the environment,” he said.

He said he was not aware that “pre-primary schools programme did not provide continuity in terms of the mediums of instruction and content objectives.”

He added that the development of pre-primary programmes objectives were not the same with those of Standard Two and Three.

“Pre-primary is a preparatory stage for learning, therefore the objectives at this level are not the same, but are linked for progression onto the next level of learning,” he explained, further adding that one level was a base for another level.

Minister Arone further said the ministry had since realised that teachers at that level were having a challenge in the interpretation of all the objectives in certain regions, hence the need for vigorous inservice training.

He said it was only from Standard Two that English was the language of instruction.

Member of Parliament for Kanye South, Mr Abram Kesupile had asked the minister if he was aware that the pre-primary school programme did not provide continuity in terms of the mediums of instruction and content objectives.

MP Kesupile wanted the minister to state why English was the medium of instruction at pre-primary school and not Setswana, as was the case in Standard 1 where children progressed to.

Furthermore, he wanted to know why the pre-primary school content objectives were similar to those of Standard 2 and 3 which were three and four years ahead of those suitable for pre-primary school. ENDS