Thou Shall Master Your Grammar!

The ability to communicate and articulate issues in English has often and predominantly been associated with literacy. More often that not, people who fail to communicate in this language find themselves in isolation.In fact, one would realize that when one breaks the rules of Kiswahili grammar people would hardly realize but if they dared the same with the rules of English grammar people around them will be so irritated.

The Kiswahili language was official made a parliamentary language  on July 4, 1974 by President Jomo Kenyatta.Consequently, the president made news the following day when he addressed the parliament in Kiswahili. Kiswahili faced a strong opposition from the then  Attorney General Charles Njonjo on July 25, 1969, arguing that introducing the language in parliament  as an official language,would turn it into a tower of Babel since every member had their own way of using the language.He further argued that the language was hardly used by even a half of the Kenyan population; only 40% of Kenyans used it to be more precise.Alongside this,Embu East MP Kamwithi Munyi had tabled the Motion to have Kiswahili used in government offices.

Currently, Kiswahili is an examinable language in Kenya; taught and studies immensely with some universities abroad also teaching the language.Despite the fact that in the High Court and the Court of Appeal judges insist that evidence submitted in writing must be translated in English,witnesses are still allowed to use the language.

However to this day, the borne of contention is why the literacy is highly associated with English as opposed to Kiswahili.To answer this question,we would have to tress our steps back in the colonial days.For instance despite the missionary using the language as a tool of spreading the gospel;in fact, it was the widely used local language by the missionaries,many people in the villages were proud whenever one of their own came back in the village having mastered the master’s language.That is where it all began.From there henceforth, more and more African went abroad and come back even more refined in the art of speaking the language.We all then followed suite:show me your fluency in English and i will tell you how learned you are.To this day,leap service has been given to learning the correct grammar of Kiswahili and no one including our politicians feel embarrassed for speaking ‘broken’ Kiswahili.

It is high time however we get concerned with the culture we have developed as a nation.It does not matter how cool it sounds to speak in slung but we must do things right.Rules of grammar must and ought to be applied across all languages regardless of it being local or international.For instance, the users of French would strictly adhere to the classical French in formal occasions.The English speakers in Britain would also adhere to the London English in formal occasions.The seriousness of language lies in it’s use.If we continue using substandard Kiswahili, we will continue relating it to illiteracy since all we do is use it informally.However, it clear that literacy is a function of how learned a person is and not what language a person uses.No matter the language you use,if you are illiterate people will tell by how you present yourself.Are you informal even when you are supposed to be formal?Would you still speak in ‘sheng’ will in a formal setting?Have mastered the grammar of whichever language you use?All those questions will give us an answer to how literate you are!

 

Article by WAKAYA JEREMIAH

 

Yes , Mututho Must Not Go!

It all started with communication from the chair of the national assembly after receiving the appointment of Hon. John Mututho from the President .The parliament job was clearly cut out;the Public appointments Act No. 33 of 2011 requires the national assembly to either approve of reject nominations within fourteen days.The  House Committee was to notify the nominee of the public hearings and commence the hearings after which a report is tabled on the floor of the house.As expected, the approval of Mututho was inevitable given the fact that he was largely perceived that he was the right man to be at the helm of NACADA.However , the fate of Hon. Mututho hanged on a the Parliaments business yesterday when the majority leader Hon . Aden Duale in parliament tabled a motion on the floor of the House pursuant Section 6(1) of NACADA Cap 121B(Laws of Kenya). The motion was seeking to adopt a report of the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security on the just concluded vetting of the NACADA boss on accusations of a 41billion fraud involving the Kenyatta National Hospital.In a dramatic turn of events , the house proposed an amendment on the motion in it’s form and replaced the word ‘reject’ with the word ‘approve’. This marked the turnaround in the jovial Mututho’s job at NACADA. However , it seems our legislatures still have issue with interpreting chapter six of the constitution.In fact , going by the fact that the house did not unanimously agree on retaining Mututho at NACADA , there is much to be desired than can be seen by ordinary folk.The question is, how do we strike the balance between upholding the supreme law while at the same time not violating individual rights.For instance, one is presumed innocent until proven otherwise.So is it proper to dwell on accusations?It may also be suggested that one ought to wait until they are cleared for them to seek positions public offices.Does this mean that people will be unfairly barred from this position especially in cases where such people are proven innocent?It seems that we are getting used to this contentions but it’s high time we get it right as a nation.It is high time we get our heads together and agree to move the country forward.It should be the priority of every Kenyan to dismiss scums in whichever offices they occupied.

 

Story by WAKAYA JEREMIAH

 

Is it Time we Change our Education System in Kenya?

The Kenyan education system has been believed to be one of the best in the world by a number of stakeholders in the education sector.The most popular belief by this folk is that a student who makes it in the Kenyan 8-4-4 education system is automatically an academic giant and is deemed fit to undertake studies anywhere in the world.

However, the change from the 7-4-2-3 system in 1985 to the present 8-4-4 system has not had a smooth sail in Kenya not to talk of opposition since its inception, from a significant number o stakeholders in the sector.The system has been tagged a monster that has ‘killed’ talents due to it’s academic centered approach characterized by regular examination which could mean life or death to a typical Kenyan student.

To this day,the KCPE(formally CPE) ,ant the KCSE (formally KCE) in the 8-4-4 system has raised hitted debates as to whether it is fit for the country.One thing is clear however, that the 8-4-4 system needs to be streamlined.In fact, the former Higher Education minister in President Kibaki’s regime is quoted saying,”I am holding important talks with the Education minister so that the 8-4-4 system is retained because the new system is too costly for the country.” Too often, those advocating for the 8-4-4 system acknowledge that it is faulty but instead of agreeing to adopt the proposed 2-6-6-3 system, they lament that it is too costly for the country and that more teachers and learning resources should be allocated instead to improve learning.One wonders just how much is too much for a country’s noble future?

Now, if the media quoted them  correctly, the opponents of the 8-4-4 system argument is not misplaced after all.Come to think of it, how many Kenyans make their living on their talents which the 8-4-4 system attempts to kill due to it’s examination oriented nature?Take for instance,most of the country’s talented icons and how much pride they bring back home not to talk of the revenue.Well, who knows?Suppose the schools they went through ,which focused on games never existed,we would as well have nothing to showcase as a country in term of talent!

Either way, we cannot ignore academic performance and it’s contribution to the country’s development.For instance,the national rugby team has most of it’s player as graduates yet very instrumental at the same time.Take a look at the comedy industry,the likes of Erick Omondi among others are also University graduates and degree holders for that matter.Therefore,it is high time as a country we develop an education system that will develop  talents of our young men and women while at the same time equipping them with academic knowledge, skills and competencies.

If you take a closer look at the proposed 2-6-6-3 system which entails;2 years of ECDE,6 years of primary education,6 years of secondary education and 3 years of tertiary education could save us as a country from the too much time wasted at the eight years and in some cases no ECDE at all which explains why a class four pupil in Kenya could be unable to do simple arithmetic or even chronologically present the alphabetic letters.The 2-6-6-3 system will actually accommodate technical work,self employment and wealth creation which is what the country needs to achieve vision 2030.

My feeling is that the technocrats in the ministry of education should give education matters the seriousness they deserve, the cost on implementing notwithstanding.We all stand to benefit as a country.

Article by WAKAYA JEREMIAH