By OBAKENG MAJE
4 November 2024- The North West Department of Education will launch a ground-breaking Mother Tongue-Based Bilingual Education (MTbBE) initiative. The department said the launch marks a pivotal step in promoting cultural inclusivity and strengthening foundational learning through the use of mother tongue instruction, which is Setswana starting the Grade 4 learners.
The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi said the event will feature a keynote address highlighting the vision and goals of MTbBE, set to begin in January 2025 for Grade 4 learners, and panel discussions exploring the benefits and implementation strategies of this transformative approach.
“The MTbBE launch will take place at Seasons Conference Centre in Mahikeng on Tuesday. The proceeding will commence at 9am. The MTbBE program is designed to empower North West learners by connecting their education to their linguistic heritage, fostering inclusivity, and building a bilingual foundation.
“In alignment with South Africa’s National Language Policy Framework, MTbBE also draws inspiration from the African Union’s call to build resilient, inclusive education systems across the continent,” she said.
Motsumi further said she will share a keynote address, while panel discussions are lined up by linguistic experts.
The Guardian 