This is to cordially invite you to register and participate in the aforementioned research dissemination event scheduled to take place on Thursday, 5 November 2020 in CTF1, Room 1.2 starting at 10:00am. The research was supported by the Government of Uganda through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF).
***Topic: Mainstreaming Kiswahili in Uganda’s National Agenda for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development
***Project team
-Dr Caroline Asiimwe – Principal Investigator
-Dr Benardatte N. Karuhanga – Co-PI
-Dr Gilbert Gumoshabe
-Dr Innocent Masengo
-Mr Boaz Mutungi
Registration and virtual participation
Register in advance for this meeting:
https:zoo//m.us/meeting/register/tJAocuCtqjMoG91Cmn6ukRkZ5JIPU5IiivoR
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
***Research Brief
The study on ‘Mainstreaming Kiswahili in Uganda’s National Agenda for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development’ was carried out in response to realities of modern life in the country, in the region and across the globe.
While Kiswahili is the lingua franca of the EAC, and whereas efforts are being made to institutionalize it as the official language of the Community and the country, Uganda faces a dilemma on the language, lacks a coherent policy and the position of the language is largely ambiguous. Despite the government efforts to promote Kiswahili and its popularity elsewhere, its status in Uganda’s national agenda still remains both emotive and sensitive. Only 35% usage has been recorded compared to the more than 90% in Kenya and Tanzania (African post News, 2015). Until 2019, the language was taught by selected schools at Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels despite its existence on the curriculum menu. This calls for a new approach to the development and promotion of the language to integrate it in all domains in a planned and coordinated manner.
Despite the existing linguistic situation at local, national and regional levels, and in spite of constitutional provisions that accord Kiswahili an official status, there is still limited use of the language in Uganda. The existing situation in Uganda calls for deliberate government efforts and conscious official interventions that will guide the development and use of Kiswahili to serve the needs of her citizens at the national, regional and global levels. Within this context, the study was done to critically discuss mainstreaming Kiswahili in Uganda’s national agenda as a strategy for promoting the development and use of the language with a view to strategically position the country for active participation in regional integration.
See details about the project in the attachments below.
