Katukula, Kelvin Mubiana; Set, Beatha; Badroodien, Azeem; (2025) Language as a form of violence and assimilation: stakeholder views of Silozi as a medium of instruction and learning in the Zambezi region of Namibia. Education and Conflict Review , 6 pp. 55-62. 10.14324/000.ch.10216107.

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Abstract

Namibia’s Language-in-Education Policy promotes inclusivity by encouraging the use of learners’ mother tongues or the most spoken local language in junior primary education. This study examines the Zambezi region, where Silozi was chosen as the medium of instruction both before and after independence in 1990, despite the presence of other significant languages. Drawing on the perspectives of policymakers, teachers, school stakeholders, and former learners, the research explores the implementation and impact of the policy and the prioritisation of Silozi over other mother tongues. It argues that the continued use of Silozi reflects colonial legacies and post-independence compromises, potentially reinforcing the marginalisation of other linguistic communities. Rather than offering relief, the policy may have entrenched historical inequalities. The study highlights the need to critically assess language policy decisions and their sociopolitical implications in postcolonial contexts.

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