(Ambaebulu Bilingual Primary School, where Anglophones learn through English and Francophones learn through French, on opposite sides of the field, before meeting in the middle at playtimes to speak Bislama) The new Minister of Education in Vanuatu, Jean-Pierre Nirua, has just announced the trialling of ‘bilingual education’ in Vanuatu, by which he means the classroom use of two languages that children do not speak at home. According to his vision,
“all children will be taught in both English and French, which means that teachers will be handling bilingual classes. Then there is no need to have English and French schools”, thereby moving beyond the dual system that the national government inherited at Independence from the British and the French. Since this morning, when a report of the announcement was posted to the Yumi Toktok Stret facebook group, the post has been ‘liked’ 428 times, ‘loved’ 9 times and ‘wowed’ twice. 42 comments appear to express a sense of relief that this is finally being done, with only 4 comments indicating any reservations. In contrast, when an opposition MP posted a question on the same facebook group on 11 March, questioning the vernacular education policy that is already mid implementation, debate raged for the next two weeks, demonstrating widespread confusion about what the policy was all about and airing a range of objections to the idea (although some strong support was also shown by teachers who are actually following the policy in their own classrooms). In a series of 12 posts last week, I discussed some of the issues that had been raised throughout the 590 contributions to that particular discussion. Aside from the confusion likely to ensue from the latest Minister of Education (at least the seventh holder of the portfolio in as many years) announcing yet another change of tack – just when it had seemed that policymakers, advisors, curriculum developers and donors were finally all heading in the same direction – the latest story is notable for demonstrating the deeply held belief that there is nothing wrong with learning through a language that you have limited exposure to outside school – let alone two such languages at once! The recent UNESCO report If you don’t understand, how can you learn? reiterates the point that the organisation’s been making since 1953 that children who do not speak the classroom language at home will struggle at school. The argument that experts are trying to push in most developing countries is not that education must start in a familiar language (because it is easy to demonstrate that Grade 1 children acclimatise to formal schooling better if you do so) but that this practice must be extended throughout primary school rather than “switching from a mother tongue to English in a random fashion” after only a year or two. The most comprehensive review of the field that we have to date is the review and analysis of theory and practice in mother-tongue and bilingual education in sub-Saharan Africa, based on work in 25 different countries, which demonstrates that 6 to 8 years of education in familiar languages (using relevant curricula) is essential for the provision of quality education. In Vanuatu, however, not only is the argument still having to be made that children find it difficult being plonked without preparation in a foreign-language environment and expected to get on with the acquisition of literacy, numeracy and critical thinking, there are still calls for this ‘submersion’ approach to be duplicated. While we know that teachers often lack proficiency themselves in the classroom language through which they are already expected to teach, the argument is made that they can now be made to teach through an additional language too. While the newspapers have been filled for years with criticisms of low literacy levels and poor educational achievement, the belief is still held that introducing another unknown classroom language will somehow solve these problems. The language debate in Vanuatu is not based on what is best pedagogically, but on a heartfelt desire to move beyond the Anglophone-Francophone divisions that were left behind by two departing colonial powers (or, more cynically, to bolster the use of French in the country, as the current Minister has advocated for years). I’ve been constantly surprised in my research about the desire to maintain and celebrate this version of ‘bilingualism’, even in rural areas where neither language is heard at all outside school, and it is clear that there is nothing to be gained by arguing for the merits of one or the other of the former colonial languages. They are both here to stay, and they will both continue to be taught as subjects – with every chance of producing school leavers who can speak both well, if they are taught properly rather than being used shakily to try and teach everything else. However, if we also want these school leavers to have actually learnt anything, then we really do have to talk about pedagogy.
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Enitaem we wan gavman i wantem implementem wan polisi blong yusum ol defdefren lanwis insaed long skul, fulap man bae oli talem se bae i sas tumas. Hem i tru se kost hem i wan impoten eria blong yumi tingbaot. Mo tu, ol pablik oli gat raet blong kwestinim gavman blong olgeta taem oli luk se gavman i stap jenisim tumas samting long sistem blong olgeta. Be olsem mi talem finis, tingting ia i no niu, mo naoia ol dona oli stap sapotem polisi finis mekem se i gat ol risos oli stap. Mi no stap insaed long tim we oli stap implementem polisi ia, mekem se mi no save givim ol stret kost blong wanwan pat blong wok ia. Be folem ol risej we mi ridim blong ol narafala kaontri, speseli long Cost-benefits of Multilingual Education: Economics of effective language models mo Cost implications of the provision of mother-tongue and strong bilingual models of education in Africa blong linguist Kathleen Heugh (lukluk long japta 6), mo Using language economics and education economics in language education policy blong ikonomist François Grin, bae mi save toktok smol long saed blong ikonomik blong polisi ia. Blong talemaot stret budget blong wan niufala polisi hem i sud stretfowad nomo. Long andastaning blong mi, budget i stap, mo ol dona oli stap biaen long polisi ia. Bae oli nidim mane blong mekem ol niufala buk blong yus insaed long klasrum, mo blong trenem ol tija long saed blong yusum ol venakyula o Bislama blong tij. So ... sapos yumi satisfae wetem edyukesen sistem we i stap naoia, then yes bae hem i moa jip blong yumi lego i stap nomo. Be i gat tufala problem wetem tingting ia: Fas problem hem i se fulap man oli talem finis se level blong literasi mo kwaliti blong edyukesen i nogud, so yumi no save satisfae wetem wanem we i stap naoia. Seken problem hem i se yumi no mas lukluk long ol kost nomo. Blong andastanem ol kost ia bae yumi mas lukluk long ol samting we yumi save karembak long ol investment blong yumi. Sapos yumi luk se bae yumi save karembak fulap gudfala samting aot long investment blong yumi, hem i wan gudfala investment. Bae yumi mas lukluk long saed blong:
Mi tekem tufala toktok ia i kamaot long atikol blong Kathleen Heugh: Yumi save se sistem we i stap naoia hem i stap westem mane mo i no save givim ‘kwaliti edyukesen’. Yumi no save komperem wetem sistem we i bin stap long taem bifo from long taem ia fulap man oli no bin skul, so sistem ia hem i bin smol nomo. Be yu mi save komperem wetem ol narafala sistem blong edyukesen we oli stap naoia long Pasifik mo long wol. Yumi save luk se hamas pikinini oli stap dropaot o ripitim ol klas; hamas oli no save rid mo raet taem oli kasem en blong yia 4 o yia 6; hamas oli no save ansarem gud ol kwestin blong ol tija taem oli kasem sekondari; hamas ni-Vanuatu long USP oli flop ... ... sapos yumi ademap ol kost blong ol samting ia, bae yumi luk se yumi stap investem bigfala mane long ol skul we oli no stap givimbak ol gudfala risal. Mo tu yumi mas tingbaot se Vanuatu i gat tufala lanwis blong edyukesen finis – Franis mo Inglis. Sapos yumi gat tingting se wanwan lanwis hem i mekem se kost blong edyukesen i go antap, from wanem yumi oraet wetem tufala lanwis ia?! Long saed blong ol kost blong niufala polisi ia, bae yumi save lukluk long ol risos we bae yumi nidim:
Long saed blong benefit blong edyukesen, yumi save lukluk long ol janis blong kipim ol pikinini oli stap long skul, mo blong mek sua se oli lanem gud taem oli stap sidaon long klasrum:
Mi biliv se sistem we i stap naoia i stap westem mane. Mi no save talem se niufala sistem bae hem i save jenisim hem o nogat, be mi save talem nomo se i gat wan bigfala nid blong invest long edyukesen long Vanuatu. Taem we ol dona oli stap sapotem polisi ia, mo oli redi blong pem ol kost blong implementesen ia, hem i minim se investmen ia bae i save gohed gud. Blong kasembak ol gudfala risal blong investmen ia, hem i dipen long sapot we Ministri, ol trena blong ol tija, ol tija, ol peren mo ol komyuniti oli wantem givim.
Long 1980s, wan rifom blong ekyukesen i bin stat long samfala komyuniti blong PNG. Be rifom ia, gavman i no bin putum in ples – hem i bin kamaot long ol grasrut nomo. Ol komyuniti ia oli no bin glad tumas long stael blong edyukesen we hem i ‘alien’ long ol pikinini mo we hem i yusum Inglis nomo. So olgeta oli bin introdyusum ol pri-skul long ol vilej, we oli kolem ‘Tok Ples Pri Skul’ (TPPS). Olgeta nomo oli bin bildim ol klasrum mo pem tija. Long ol pri-skul ia, oli bin yusum venakyula blong komyuniti, mo i gat samfala NGO we oli bin helpaot long saed blong ol risos long ol venakyula. Ol komyuniti oli bin harem gud long ol TPPS ia, mekem se ol narafala provins oli bin harem se hem i stap wok. Long 1991 i bin gat 386 pri-skul i stap long kaontri ia, we oli yusum 91 defren lanwis!
So fas lesen we yumi lanem i se taem ol komyuniti oli sapotem tingting ia, hem i posibol blong mekem. Seken lesen we yumi lanem i se hem i posibol blong krietem ol risos (ol simpol wan nomo) long fulap defdefren lanwis. Be mos impoten lesen we yumi lanem long TPPS hem i se ol pikinini we oli bin go tru long ol pri-skul ia oli bin saksesful taem oli bin statem Klas 1 i go antap. I bin gat samfala TPPS we oli bin yusum Tok Pisin (Bislama blong PNG) olsem venakyula blong komyuniti, mo ol pikinini ia oli no bin fesem had taem wetem Inglis taem oli bin statem skul. Kasem 1991, Gavman blong PNG hem i bin lego system ia i stap long han blong ol komyuniti. Be long 1990s, Gavman i bin implementem wan rifom. Gavman i bin luk save se ol komyuniti oli ranem wan gudfala system, so i bin traem blong mek yus long system ia. Gavman i bin askem ol komyuniti blong lukluk long edyukesen blong ol pikinini long Klas 1 mo 2, antap long pri-skul we oli stap mekem finis. Oli putum polisi ia long evri provins blong kaontri, iven long ol pat we oli no bin gat TPPS fastaem. Tingting blong gavman hem i se oli save yusum ol praemeri skul blong tijim Klas 3 i go antap, mo ekstendem besik edyukesen i go long Klas 8. (Gavman blong Vanuatu i bin harem, mekem se olgeta tu oli bin putum long Education Master Plan long 1999, we hem i bin lidim long polisi blong ol ‘top-up’ skul). Problem nomo se Gavman blong PNG i bin tekem kontrol blong polisi long nasonal level, be hem i bin lego olgeta nomo oli bildim ol niufala klasrum, faenem ol tija, mo divelopem ol risos long wanwan lanwis. Aotkam blong polisi hem i no surprising: taem ol pikinini oli bin kasem Klas 3 long praemeri skul, oli no redi nating, from ol tija long ol komyuniti skul oli no qualify blong tij. Mo tu, ol pikinini oli save rid long venakyula (o Tok Pisin) be oli sek long Inglis we oli mas yusum long Klas 3 i go antap. Be naoia Gavman i stap talem se problem hem i long saed blong venakyula nomo, mekem se oli bin swij i gobak long Inglis long pri-skul i go antap. So long sityuesen naoia long PNG, ol untrained tija long ol komyuniti oli stap stragol yet be naoia oli mas mekem long Inglis nomo we olgeta tu oli no save gud. So polisi blong Vanuatu i semak long sityuesen long PNG o hem i defren? Well long narasaed, hem i defren long Vanuatu, from Gavman blong Vanuatu hem i stap draevem niufala polisi, i gat ol linguist insaed long tim blong implementesen (blong givhan long saed blong translesen blong ol risos long ol venakyula, mo blong advaesem CDU), mo ol dona oli sapotem tingting ia. So naoia hem i nambawan janis long histri blong Vanuatu blong jenisim polisi ia blong tijim ol pikinini long wan lanwis we oli andastanem finis. Tim blong implementesen i mas lukluk gud long transition, blong mek sua se ol gudfala wok we i stap hapen long Klas 1, 2, 3 bae i save brij gud i go long nekis level long Klas 4 i go antap be yumi stap harem ol gudfala ripot i stap kamaot long samfala tija: Jennifer Attison, Klas 1 tija long Seaside, i talem long Nasonal Literasi Dei long Novemba 2015 se hem i stap tij long 18 yia finis, be long 2015 hem i faenem se niufala polisi blong yusum Bislama long klasrum hem i help bigwan. Ol pikinini oli stap givim ol ansa mo oli nomo fraet blong askem ol kwestin. Sapos niufala gavman i stap gohed strong long tingting ia, mo hem i no givap long hafrod, polisi ia bae i save saksesful. Be long narasaed, hem i dipen plante long komitmen ia. Mi luk se fulap memba long YTS we oli stap tij mo trenem ol tija oli stap talem se “well hem i polisi so bae yumi mas mekem be mi no agri wetem” – sapos olgeta we oli risponsibol blong ol ki eria ia oli no sapotem fulwan, bae yumi foldaon long hafrod nomo. Bae ol pikinini oli neva kasem strong stamba blong edyukesen long venakyula/Bislama, mo tu bae oli kontinyu blong stragol long Inglis/Franis taem oli swij i go. Sapos yumi go from polisi ia (and olsem we fulap memba oli talem, polisi i stap finis), then bae yumi nidim sapot, hadwok mo faith blong kasem yumi long wan gudfala risal. CDU i stap mekem ol aweanes blong olgeta, mo ol staff oli talem se ol komyuniti oli glad long niufala polisi. Be ol diskasen long YTS long wik ia oli soem se fulap man oli stap konfius yet long saed blong polisi – wanem i stap hapen, mo from wanem gavman i wantem mekem. So gavman i mas tekem ol step blong kliarem gud ol isyu ia mo givim ol gudfala ansa long ol kwestin ia we ol peren oli stap askem. Sapos ol peren oli stap ridim ol “1 vt tingting” long facebook nomo, bae oli harem nogud long wanem we i stap hapen long ol pikinini blong olgeta. Mi bin tokbaot grammar mo vocabulary blong Bislama finis long ol narafala post so mi hop se hem i klia se Bislama hem i wan tru lanwis we hem i gat ol rul mo strakja finis, mo we yumi save yusum hem long eni sityuesen we yumi wantem. Diksonari i stap finis, reference grammar i stap finis, mo i gat wan ‘Microsoft Word Spell Check’ we yu save downloadem long kompiuta blong yu, blong jekem spelling blong yu. 'Spell check' ia hem i fri, so hem i gud blong yumi evriwan i mek yus long hem, be especially ol gavman dipatmen, ol niuspepa, mo ol NGO.
I gat wan tingting i stap se ol man oli stap yusum Bislama folem stael blong olgeta nomo. Long saed blong toktok, i tru se i gat ol defren stael be i no tru se evri man i yusum long tingting blong hem nomo. I gat samfala defrens we oli dipen se spika hem i skul Inglis o hem i skul Franis; samfala defrens oli dipen se spika hem i stap oltaem long rural eria or hem i stap long taon; samfala defrens oli dipen se spika hem i toktok long ol pikinini blong hem long haos o hem i stanap long fored blong fulap man. Hem i semak long evri lanwis. Long saed blong raeting long ol “informal” ples olsem facebook o personal email, hem i semak. Yumi mek yus long ol slang, ol sotkat (‘long’ → ‘lo’, ‘talem’ → ‘tlm’, ‘toktok’ → ‘tok2’), ol !!?! mo :) ;). Hem tu i semak long evri lanwis, so bae yumi no wari long ol samting ia. Long saed blong “formal” raeting, hem i defren. Bae yumi mas gat wan stael nomo blong “Standard Bislama” we yumi evriwan yumi yusum. Stamba blong system ia i stap finis long diksonari, mekem se sapos yumi evriwan i lanem hao blong spelem ol wod, mo hao blong yusum ‘spell check’ long kompiuta, bae yumi no fesem ol problem. Problem nomo i stap long saed blong save. Fulap man oli talem long YTS se ‘i no gat diksonari’, ‘i not gat rul’, mekem se fulap man oli biliv se hem i no posibol nomo, be hem i no tru. Isyu ia hem i soemaot klia se bae yumi mas tijim ol pikinini hao blong raetem Standard Bislama taem oli stap long skul. Step 1: CDU mo ol narafala dipatmen blong Ministri blong Edyukesen oli mas lid long isyu ia. Insaed long ol ripot mo ol risos we oli stap raetem, oli mas folem spelling blong diksonari mo 'spell check', mo oli mas yusum ol wod we ol pablik bae oli andastanem. USP i save trenem ol wokman sapos i gat nid. Step 2: CDU i mas mek sua se ol peren tu oli save luk ol risos blong alfabet we oli stap sanem i go long ol skul (Bislama mo ol venakyula). Bae hem i helpem ol peren blong oli tek intres long edyukesen blong ol pikinini blong olgeta, mo bae i mek sua se ol peren oli no konfiusum ol pikinini wetem ol narafala spelling. Step 3: Gavman i mas setemap wan tim blong lidim fiuja divelopmen blong Bislama. Stamba i stap longtaem finis, be yumi mas gohed long divelopmen long saed blong ol teknikol wod. Wan grup blong corpus planning i stap wok finis, we ol wok ia i save kam anda long tim ia. Mo tu, tim ia i save putum aot wan “Hao blong raetem Bislama” risos long pablik. Step 4: Ol narafala grup we oli stap yusum Bislama long fes blong pablik (olsem ol gavman dipatmen, ol niuspepa mo ol NGO) oli mas tekem ol step blong folem stret stael blong raetem Bislama. Oli mas pem wan kopi blong diksonari, mo oli mas putum 'spell check' long evri kompiuta long wokples. Tim blong divelopmen blong Bislama i save givhan long ol wokples long saed blong trening blong ol wokman mo divelopmen blong ol teknikol wod blong ol sekta ia. Step 5: Ol skul tija tu oli mas go tru long ol woksop blong lanem hao blong raetem gud Bislama, mo blong andastanem ples blong Bislama long nasonal level mo insaed long ol skul. Taem ol pikinini oli stap lanem hao blong raetem, bae ol fiuja jeneresen bae oli save yusum long ol wokples blong olgeta. Wan komon tingting hem i se bae yumi no save tokbaot ol teknikol sabjek blong skul long Bislama mo ol venakyula. From yumi harem se ol lanwis ia oli no gat wan gudfala vocabulary.
Be taem yumi luk long ol evidens yumi save se hem i no tru nating. I gat fulap eksampol long internet we yumi save faenem infomesen long fulap teknikol sabjek long Bislama: Long website blong Graon mo Jastis Pati (GJP), yu save faenemaot hao blong mekem proxy vot mo duplicate elektorol kard long taem blong wan eleksen, mo yu save ridim infomesen long saed blong ol jenis long Konstityusen we Palamen i mekem. Yu save faenem wan gaed blong statem bisnis we i kamaot long International Finance Corporation. Yu save faenem Bislama translesen blong Deklereisen Blong Raet Blong Evri Man Mo Woman Raon Wol, yu save ridim Nasonal Strateji blong lukaotem gud biodiversity, mo ol risos long saed blong klaemet jenis. Wan Smolbag hem i bin edyuketem yumi longtaem finis long saed blong fulap topik blong helt mo ol narafala isyu, mo long level blong yunivesiti, Jane Kanas hem i bin raetem MA thesis blong hem fulwan long Bislama, blong soemaot se lanwis ia hem i fit blong akademik level ia (yu save ridim long USP laebri long Emalus). Yumi bin ridim Baebol long Bislama, mo tu long fulap venakyula, longtaem finis ... ... Tingting ia – se yumi no save yusum Bislama o ol venakyula blong tokbaot wan niufala topik – hem i ‘self-reinforcing’, minim se taem yumi talemaot gogo se hem i no posibol, hem i mekem se naoia bae yumi neva save mekem nomo. Kasem taem we Bislama hem i gat ples insaed long skul, ol man bae oli holem taet tingting ia yet se Bislama hem i wan rabis lanwis. Kasem taem ia, yumi no save biliv nomo se hem i posibol from yumi neva luk long laef taem blong yumi. Hem i wan legasi tru blong colonialism. Tufala gavman i bin lego wan tingting i stap we yumi stap holem taet kasem tudei. Hem i tru se taem yumi wantem tokbaot wan niufala topik long Bislama – olsem klaemet jenis – bae yumi mas sidaon blong tingbaot ol wod we bae yumi yusum. Sapos no, bae yumi evriwan folem tingting blong yumi nomo. Insaed long post ia, mi stap yusum samfala wod we mi raetem long Inglis (olsem ‘vocabulary’) instead blong raetem long Bislama (olsem vokabuleri, vokabulari, vokabyuleri o vokabyulari). Blong jusum stret spelling blong wan niufala wod hem i wan jalenj we bae yumi mas mekem (bae mi kambak long topik ia long post blong mi long Standard Bislama) be hem i semak long evri lanwis. Iven long Inglis, ‘climate change’ hem i wan niufala topik we yumi mas tokbaot, so ol niufala wod olsem ‘greenhouse gas’, ‘renewable energy’ mo ‘carbon footprint’ oli kam insaed long lanwis nao. Inglis tu hem i stap divelop oltaem blong dil wetem ol niufala teknoloji so evri lanwis i semak nomo. Eniwan we hem i save samting long saed blong history of English i save se samwea long 40% nomo blong ol wod we yumi stap yusum long Inglis tudei, oli kamaot long stamba blong tru lanwis blong Inglis (Old English). Long YTS, yumi stap tok raon long topik blong niufala polisi blong lanwis insaed long edyukesen. Be ol ki wod ia (policy, language, education) oli no Inglis ia! Oli kamaot long Latin mo Franis. Yumi stap holem taet tingting ia se Inglis hem i wan lanwis we hem i gat wan bigfala vocabulary mo hem i fit blong yusum long intanasonal stej. Be blong tokbaot ol topik ia, bae yumi mas yusum ol wod we oli kamaot long ol narafala lanwis tu! 22/3/2016 0 Comments Bislama i gat grammar? (8 of 12)Ansa blong kwestin ia hem i isi nomo – YES! Bislama hem i gat grammar.
From wanem ol man oli no wantem bilivim ansa ia? From oli neva bin gat janis blong lukluk long grammar blong Bislama insaed long skul. Oli lanem grammar blong Inglis mo Franis nomo. Be “grammar” hem i minim ol rul we yumi stap folem taem yumi yusum wan lanwis. Fulap taem, yumi no save talemaot ol rul ia, be sapos yu fluent long wan lanwis, hem i minim se yu stap folem ol grammatical rul blong hem. Dr. Terry Crowley i bin divelopem wan kos long USP Introdaksen long Stadi blong Bislama long 1980s, we hem i tijim grammar blong Bislama mo semtaem tu hem i bin yusum Bislama blong tijim kos ia. Long 2004, hem i bin raetem wan reference grammar blong Bislama long Inglis, mo yu save luk wan sot overview blong grammar online. Strakja blong Bislama hem i folem strakja blong ol venakyula blong Vanuatu, be hem i defren long strakja blong Inglis. e.g. Mi harem fulap man i talem se i no gat ‘tense’ long Bislama. From olgeta oli save se blong tokbaot wan samting we hem i ted ples long past long Inglis, yumi mas jenisim en blong verb (study ... studied). Be long Bislama, yumi neva jenisim en blong verb (evri taem hem i 'stadi' nomo). Be sapos yumi wantem mekem i klia se yumi stap tokbaot wan sityuesen long past, yumi save putum ‘bin’ long fored blong verb, o blong tokbaot wan sityuesen long fiuja, yumi save putum ‘bae’ long fored blong verb. ‘Aspect’ hem i semak (blong soemaot se samting i stap gohed yet or hem i finis finis). Long Inglis, yumi yusum ol strakja olsem ‘I have done it’ o ‘I am doing it’, be long Bislama yumi putum ‘finis’ or ‘stap’ tugeta wetem verb (‘mi mekem finis’ o ‘mi stap mekem’). Ol strakja ia oli defren, be yumi save tokbaot ol tense mo aspect blong verb long tufala lanwis. Samfala strakja long Bislama oli kompliketed moa bitim long Inglis. e.g. i gat fulap wod long Bislama we bae yumi mas transletem evriwan i go long ‘we’ long Inglis: ‘mifala’, ‘yumi’, ‘mitufala’ o ‘yumitu’ (mo samtaem ‘mitrifala’ o ‘yumitri’). Bislama i folem strakja blong fulap venakyula we olgeta tu oli gat ol defren wod ia (e.g. 'gamai', 'gide', 'gamaru', 'gideru' long lanwis blong East Ambae). Be long Inglis yumi no save soem ol defdefren mining ia, from i gat wan wod nomo ‘we’. 21/3/2016 0 Comments From wanem ol olfala oli toktok Inglis mo Franis i gud bitim ol yangfala tudei? (7 of 12)Kwestin ia hem i intresting. I gat fulap olfala naoia we olgeta oli bin skul gud we yu harem se Inglis mo Franis blong olgeta i gud bitim ol yangfala tudei.
Be long semtaem tu i gat fulap olfala naoia we olgeta oli no save rid mo raet, o toktok Inglis o Franis, so yumi save se system blong colonial period hem i bin tagetem wan smol grup nomo. So long taem ia i bin gat hamas skul nomo we oli bin serem ol risos long sekta blong edyukesen. Tufala gavman i bin wantem win taem oli bildim ol skul long tufala saed, mekem se ol best styuden nomo oli bin stap insaed long ol gudfala skul. Tufala gavman i bin yusum fulap expatriate tija, mo (especially long saed blong ol Frankofon skul), oli bin yusum kurikulum we i kamaot long Europe. So standard hem i “hae” long taem ia long sens se hamas pikinini nomo oli bin go long skul, mo oli bin lanem hao blong toktok Inglis mo Franis, mo oli bin lanem ol histri mo kalja blong Europe nomo. So mi mitim fulap man tudei we oli save tokbaot Napoleon, be oli no save histri blong Pasifik. Mo tu, mi mitim fulap man we oli no bin skul nating, oli no save toktok Inglis o Franis, or rid mo raet, be oli save gud histri mo kalja blong aelan. So yumi no save talem se colonial stael blong edyukesen hem i ansa we yumi stap lukaotem. Since Indipendens, Gavman blong Vanuatu i bin stragol blong provaedem edyukesen long evri pikinini blong kaontri, we hem i fri long praemeri, mo we hem i givim janis long evri pikinini, nomata se yu blong wanem aelan, nomata se famli blong yu i gat mane o nogat, nomata se yu gat wan disabiliti, nomata se yu wan boe o wan gel, nomata se yu stap long rural o urban eria, etc. etc. Mo yumi mas save se fulap blong ol grup ia we oli stap toktok gud Inglis mo Franis, olgeta oli bin skul long venakyula fastaem! Wan memba blong YTS i bin talem se Sethy Regenvanu hem i wan blong olgeta we hem i toktok gud Inglis ... be sapos yu ridim buk blong hem: Laef blong mi: From village to nation yu save faenemaot se hem tu i bin skul long venakyula blong hem mo hem i harem gud taem hem i lanem hao blong rid mo raet long lanwis blong hem. Hem i talem se hem i bin skul anda long polisi blong New Hebrides Presbyterian Church (1957) blong yusum venakyula wetem Inglis blong tij. Bae yumi no save ridim autobiography long wanwan blong olgeta, be yumi save harem fulap stori blong ol kaen experience ia. Foma direkta long Ministri blong Edyukesen, John Niroa, hem tu hem i bin talem long mi se hem i bin skul long lanwis blong hem fastaem, be yu save harem se Inglis blong hem i totally fluent. Taem mi tijim Inglis long Vanuatu, mi faenem se ol styuden oli stap raetem: “I saw that man who he works at the bank” long Inglis (we oli sud kanselem ‘he’ blong raetem: “I saw that man who works at the bank”). Mi stap kwestenem stamba blong mistake ia, from fulap oli stap mekem. Mi kambak long Bislama, mo faenem se strakja blong lanwis ia hem i defren: Long Bislama yumi raetem: “Mi lukum man ia we hem i wok long bank” (yumi mas kipim ‘hem’ insaed blong soem se hem ia i sabjek blong seken pat blong sentens). Ok, so yumi save talem se yes, hem i evidens se strakja blong Bislama i save influensem strakja blong Inglis.
Be afta? Bae yumi mek wanem wetem infomesen ia? Bae yumi ronemaot Bislama? Bae yumi eradiketem olsem malaria? Iven sapos yu wantem mekem (olsem fulap memba blong YTS i talem), bae hem i no posibol nomo. Yumi evriwan yumi stap yusum lanwis ia olsem link bitwin olgeta we oli skul Inglis mo olgeta we oli skul Franis, olsem link bitwin ol man we oli kamaot long ol defdefren aelan, mo olsem nasonal mo ofisol lanwis blong kaontri. Iven sapos yu panisim ol pikinini long skul taem oli toktok Bislama, yu ting se bae lanwis ia i go wea? Yumi we yumi bin stap insaed long wan sekondari skul save se yumi evriwan i stap yusum lanwis ia. Sapos yumi banem, bae ol pikinini bae oli still yusum long dorm, long spot, long fri taem blong olgeta, mo tu insaed long klasrum. Yumi westem taem nomo wetem ol kaen panismen ia mo yumi mekem se ol pikinini oli stap fraet blong toktok. Moa impoten, taem yumi blokem Bislama, yumi mestem janis blong solvem problem. Blong gobak long eksampol ia antap, taem mi andastanem risen biaen long mistake ia, mi save solvem. Mi nomo westem taem blong mi blong krosem aot ‘he’ long evri sentens blong ol styuden. Mi stanap long fored blong klas mo askem olgeta blong transletem sentens ia i go long Bislama. Wan i kam raetem long blakbod. Andanit long hem, mi raetem translesen long Inglis, mo mi askem ol pikinini blong eksplenem wanem i defren. Immediately olgeta oli save luk se strakja blong Inglis i no majem strakja blong Bislama, minim se naoia oli andastanem se oli no save transletem ‘word by word’. Vocabulary i semak. Sapos ol pikinini oli stap miksimap ‘swim’ wetem ‘shower’, o ‘hand’ wetem ‘arm’, yes hem i from oli no andastanem hao Inglis i defren long Bislama. Be sapos tija i stap talem se hem i rong be hem i neva eksplenem from wanem hem i rong, bae pikinini i neva save. Hem i moa gud sapos tija i yusum wan pikja blong bodi, mo eksplenem se long Bislama, hemia hem i ‘leg’, mo hemia hem i ‘han’. Afta hem i yusum wan narafala kala blong chalk blong soem se long Inglis, pat antap ia nomo hem i ‘leg’ (mo ademap ol narafala wod blong ‘thigh’, ‘knee’, ‘shin’ etc.), be pat ia daon ia hem i ‘foot’; soem se wanem pat hem i ‘hand’ long Inglis, mo wanem pat hem i ‘arm’. Be taem yumi stap haedem Bislama long kona, yumi stap mestem ol janis ia. Spelling i semak. Taem ol pikinini oli lanem hao blong rid long Bislama, bae oli save se ‘anda’ hem i stat wetem leta ‘a’, so bae oli konfius blong faenemaot se translesen blong hem i ‘under’ wetem leta ‘u’ long Inglis. Be hem i pat blong kurikulum blong Inglis lanwis, so ol tija bae oli tijim spelling blong Inglis. Hem bae i help tu long saed blong pronunciation. Pronunciation blong ‘anda’ long Bislama i no semak long pronunciation blong ‘under’ long English (blong ‘anda’ yu mas openem maot blong yu moa bitim long ‘under’). Yumi save mek yus long save we ol pikinini oli gat finis long Bislama blong tijim Inglis, be yumi mas save se tufala lanwis i defren. So hem i minim se taem ol pikinini oli mekem brij i go long Inglis, hem i impoten tumas blong lukluk long ol kaen defrens ia. Mi tu mi serem ol wari we fulap memba blong YTS i ekspresem long saed blong transition ia. Gavman hem i mas lukluk gud long stej ia, mo focus plante long defrens bitwin tufala lanwis ia. Sapos yumi tij gogo long Bislama long Klas 1, 2, 3, ale naoia yumi swij hariap i go long Inglis/Franis long Klas 4, then yes bae yumi fas nao. Yumi bildimap stamba blong literasi mo learning long lanwis we oli save finis (Bislama/Venakyula), yumi tijim olgeta hao blong toktok mo raetem seken lanwis (Inglis/Franis) fastaem, naoia taem oli redi blong yusum seken lanwis ia, bae yumi save muv i go. Fulap memba blong YTS oli askem from wanem yumi nid blong tijim Bislama long skul:
“Yumi toktok long hem long evri dei finis” ... “No nid blong tijim bakegen long skul” ... “Oli save pikimap aotsaed nomo” ... “Hem i wok blong ol peren blong tijim long haos” ... “Long skul yumi sud tijim Inglis mo Franis nomo.” Ating i gat trifala pat blong ansa long kwestin ia:
Hem i 100% tru se ol ni-Vanuatu oli mas gat janis blong lanem ol narafala lanwis tu, olsem Inglis mo Franis. Samfala risen we ol memba blong YTS oli talem finis:
Seken poen we mi wantem mekem hem i se Section 2.1 blong polisi hem i long saed blong wanem lanwis ol pikinini bae oli yusum insaed long ol ‘content’ sabjek (olsem Maths, Science, Social Science), be Section 2.3 blong polisi we hem i totally defren hem i long saed blong wanem lanwis ol pikinini bae oli lanem. Long diagram ia (we hem i kamaot long presentesen blong Dr Robert Early), yu save luk se bae oli yusum LANWIS 1 (Venakyula o Bislama) blong tijim ol content sabjek kasem Yia 3, afta we bae oli mekem wan brij i go long LANWIS 2 (Inglis o Franis – hem i dipen long wanwan skul). Be long saed blong tijim ol lanwis, bae oli:
Las poen we mi wantem mekem long post ia hem i long saed blong ej blong lanem ol lanwis. Fulap man oli ting se sapos yu wantem lanem wan narafala lanwis bae yu mas lanem taem yu smol nomo. Hem i tru taem yu stap long wan sityuesen we fulap man oli stap toktok lanwis ia long ples we yu stap long hem. So long vilej, bae yu luk se ol smolsmol pikinini oli save lanem tu or tri lanwis wantaem, sapos oli harem ol lanwis ia long evri dei. Be taem yu tekem wan smol pikinini i kam long taon, sapos hem i no harem lanwis blong mama mo papa blong hem tumas long haos, bae hem i harem i had blong i lanem. Hem i no minim se ol pikinini long vilej oli smat bitim ol pikinini long taon, be hem i minim se ‘input’ i defren. Long Yia 1 long skul, i semak. Sapos tija i stanap long fored blong klas i toktok Inglis o Franis hem wan nomo, ‘input’ ia bae i no inaf blong ol pikinini oli save kasem hariap. Bae tija i mas givim smol input nomo long wanwan dei long seken lanwis ia blong hem i kasem. Tija i save yusum ol singsing, ol gem mo ol stori blong givim intres long ol pikinini fastaem, bifo hem i redi blong yusum seken lanwis ia blong lanem ol narafala sabjek. Taem hem i stap lanem seken lanwis ia (Inglis o Franis), hem i gud se tija i stap yusum venakyula o Bislama blong tijim ol narafala sabjek fastaem, from olgeta oli save lanwis ia finis. |
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