Chief Musungwa of the Ila people of Itezhi tezhi District in Central Province has asked government to introduce Ila as the medium of instruction in all schools in Itezhi tezhi district.
Speaking when Agriculture and Livestock Deputy Minister Greyford Monde paid a courtesy call on him at his Basanga palace, Chief Musungwa rejected the use of Tonga as a medium of instruction in schools.
Chief Musungwa said it was not appropriate for schools in the district to be using Tonga as medium of instruction from grade 1-4 because the indigenous language is Ila.
“Here in Itezhi tezhi we have old teaching materials for Ila language which was used before they changed to Tonga and we can reproduce them.”
“Ila is the indigenous language of the people of this district and it is the appropriate language for instruction and not Tonga. It will also help the development of the culture of this district” Chief Musungwa said.
“In the past we developed Ila textbooks and teaching materials which were used in schools but these were withdrawn when Chief Monze of the Tonga people was advocating to be paramount Chief of the Bantu Botatwe people,” said Chief Musungwa.
The traditional leader said the district is ready to give the Ila materials to the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) so that they can print and distribute to schools in the district.
The chief also disclosed that a gropu of individuals have produced an Ila Bible which is still undergoing editing.
In response Agriculture Deputy Minister Greyford Monde said he was going to report the matter to the relevant ministry so that they can give appropriate advice.
Last year government introduced new education reforms which included teaching pupils in the local languages from grade 1-4 in all primary schools.
The seven languages selected as the medium of instruction are Bemba, Nyanja, Lozi, Tonga, Kaonde, Luvale and Lunda.
The reforms have been received with mixed feelings from various stakeholders.
thats why english was okey.
Why Bemba in southern province? I’m ILA that should not be allowed at all stop it chief.
That is what happens when you are paranoid. You fail to understand even simple things. Tonga (not Bemba) will be taught in Southern Province and Itezhi tezhi – that is what the chief is complaining about.
Ok. Give him what he wants and wait to see where it takes him – who cares? May be Moonde – that chief is his grandfather so they think alike and both are low life fellas!!
Chief way to go. No one should force a language on a group of people. These local languages have little application, for instance where does one use Nyanja, other than at Soweto Market
none should change our sweet language ILA IS ILA.