Using English as the language of instruction in schools automatically makes a child bilingual. School is important, and so is English, which is why most schools use the language. It is a language that is used in almost every corner of the world, so you can see why we can’t afford to drop it.

At home, the maids usually use Kinyarwanda; they use this language when speaking to their bosses, children, and to whoever communicates with them. If English were just another subject in school, we would have a bunch of people looking for high class jobs but whose only language of communication is Kinyarwanda, and a few English words here and there! Does that sound right to you?

Let’s face it, the world has become a global village and we are the only country that insists on going local - at least from what I know. If English were a mere subject, how many of us would be able to have a flawless conversation with the rest of the world? 

Much as we have a very wonderful language, it isn’t as rich as English - not with all the recent innovations that have come up since. How can someone teach ICT entirely in Kinyarwanda? Every other day there is something coming up so how would the teacher cope unless he has to also invent his own words to be able to teach his students. 

Yes I do agree there must be a lot of emphasis on the proper teaching of Kinyarwanda and our norms and culture but that shouldn’t come through as using Kinyarwanda as the language of instruction. Instead, there should be more emphasis on first; creating content and documenting our history and culture then teaching it to the generation to come and when all that is done, maybe then we can think of making Kinyarwanda the language of instruction. 

Finally I just want to remind everyone that learning a new language that one’s brain isn’t familiar with boosts the brain. By learning, one exercises their brain, and so they should be faster at memorising and doing simple mental exercises. When a child learns a new language they need to put words and verbs together, which works their brain and they’ll be very good at connecting other things as well.