Authors :
Sahr Jimissa; Goderich Freetown; Sannie Aliyu Mohamed
Volume/Issue :
Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 7 - July
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/4hf5bwb2
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/yey68zbt
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jul180
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Abstract :
This work is an investigation on the problems and prospects of the implementation of the government of Sierra
Leone’s Mother Tongue Education Policy in Sierra Leone – a case study in the schools in Kono District. To meet the
objectives of this work, questionnaires were administered to school heads and teachers in six selected secondary schools in
the district. After the analysis of the data, it was discovered that not much success has been made because of the following
problems: lack of trained teachers, inadequate learning materials and poor funding towards the implementation of the
policy. Also, the heads of schools, teachers and pupils have a negative attitude towards this policy. They are of the view
that the indigenous languages are inferior and not internationally recognized. These perceptions are major setbacks to the
implementation of this policy. Recommendations were therefore made to do a thorough sensitization on the importance of
Mother Tongue Education as every language could be used as a medium of education. Adequate training of teachers and
the provision of teaching and learning materials is important for the success of this policy. The government also should
increase funding towards the implementation of this policy.
Keywords :
Mother Tongue, Policy, Education, Implementation.
References :
- Allie Joe A.D. (1987) - A New History of Sierra Leone. London, Longman Ltd.
- Hazel Francis (1994) - Language in Teaching and Learning. London C.U.P.
- Ministry of education (1996) – Draft National Education Master Plan (1996 -2005) Freetown, Government Printing Press
- Network of Educational Innovation for Development in Africa UNESCO (1989) – A Guide for Creating Metalinguistic terms for Africa. Dakar, Senegal
- Network of Educational innovation Africa UNESCO (1983) - The African Language as Instructional Media, Dakar, Senegal.
- Network of Educational Innovation for Development in Africa UNESCO (1998) - Inter-language on Educational Innovation Dakar, Senegal.
- Numan David (1994) - Research Method in Language Learning. United States of America (USA): C.U.P.
This work is an investigation on the problems and prospects of the implementation of the government of Sierra
Leone’s Mother Tongue Education Policy in Sierra Leone – a case study in the schools in Kono District. To meet the
objectives of this work, questionnaires were administered to school heads and teachers in six selected secondary schools in
the district. After the analysis of the data, it was discovered that not much success has been made because of the following
problems: lack of trained teachers, inadequate learning materials and poor funding towards the implementation of the
policy. Also, the heads of schools, teachers and pupils have a negative attitude towards this policy. They are of the view
that the indigenous languages are inferior and not internationally recognized. These perceptions are major setbacks to the
implementation of this policy. Recommendations were therefore made to do a thorough sensitization on the importance of
Mother Tongue Education as every language could be used as a medium of education. Adequate training of teachers and
the provision of teaching and learning materials is important for the success of this policy. The government also should
increase funding towards the implementation of this policy.
Keywords :
Mother Tongue, Policy, Education, Implementation.
