Foreign Languages in Ethiopia: History and Current Status

Ethiopia, as one of the multilingual and multicultural countries, has faced the critical problem of development and implementation of language use policy that could satisfy the needs of various societies in question and contribute to their socioeconomic and socio-cultural development. The various governments that ruled Ethiopia since the reign of Emperor Tewodros II followed various language use policies that suit their political orientation. The major objective of this paper was to seek answers to the following questions: a. What type of language policy did Ethiopia have in the past? b. What is the language policy of the country today? c. How is Ethiopia implementing its language policy today? The historical survey of language use policy was made based on the secondary data (i.e. written documents) from different sources. The study on the implementation of the current language policy of the country focuses mainly on four regional states, namely Amhara, Oromiya and SNNP regional states and the Addis Ababa City Administration. Interviews were conducted with various bodies that are concerned with developing, implementing and monitoring language use policies, such as the Ethiopian Language Research Center, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the information and education bureaus of three regional states, namely the Amhara, Oromiya and SNNP regional states to get the necessary data. The analysis of the data shows that though there had been a change from having no written policy to a policy that encourages the development and use of all the languages in the country, the implementation showed a little change in the time from the reign of Tewodros II up to the end of the Derg. The language policies of Tewodros II, Minilek II, Hailesellasie I and the Derg regime had been similar on the ground level: they all implemented a one-language language use policy .The language use policy of the current government, however, is quite different in its approach and implementation. The implementation of a multilingual language use policy has served the country both its blessings and consequences.

The cultural and social values and the ideologies of a nation or a people are transmitted from generation to generation through language. Language often appears not only as the cement that guarantees national unity, but also as the mold that forms the people into one nation. At the same time language is one of the engine that drives the whole nation toward progress and development. To use this instrument properly it needs policy formulation but to formulate the policy of language is not the simple task throughout the world particularly for the countries which have multi linguistic people is more severe than mono linguistic country. Being Ethiopia is one of the multilingual and multicultural countries, has faced the critical problem of development and implementation of language use policy that could satisfy the needs of various societies in question and contribute to their socioeconomic and socio-cultural development. Gone are the days when the country is described as “prison house of nationalities”. Today historyhas been reversed and Ethiopia has transformed itself into a country wherein the rights and freedoms of citizens, peoples, nations and nationalities are respected. The country has now emerged as a nation in which multi-faceted and encouraging development activities are carried out in the political, economic, social, cultural and linguistic spheres.Though the activities which have been done on development of language policy before gives the direction to the people where shall be gone but the journey is not finished. In relation to the journey of the country some writes said that the current language policy of Ethiopia has not been given equal opportunities for nation, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. And other writers including the ruling government said that the language policy gives equal opportunities for all nation, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. Owning to these controversies under this analytical paper under chapter one an attempt will be made to reveal the definition, types of language policy and the experience of other federal states. And under chapter two we will try to explain historical development of language policy in Ethiopia, the current language policy and its challenge and the prospective alternative solution of the challenges of the policy.

Global Scientific Journals, 2021

For the very first time, during the period of Haile Selase the first, language policy in written form was prepared. And there was an expectation of the Dergu`s language policy for the making of many Ethiopian language development however, it continued on the usage of only one language. Right after the downfall of the Dergue, a shift towards using mother tongue instructional language policy seen in our country since 1994 with the reign of the former EPRDF (The present Prosperity Party). The purpose of this analysis is therefore to explain and present the current Ethiopian mother tongue instructional language formulation, implementation and outcomes. To materialize the study, a contextual discourse analysis was applied. To this effect, after providing a brief background on the current Ethiopian mother tongue instructional language policy, an analysis of the formulation and implementation of mother tongue instructional language policy with its problems was discussed using document review and analysis. Finally, the findings indicated that the author of this analysis appreciated the merits of mother tongue instructional policy for the students however, the researcher argue that the quick change to formulate and implement the mother tongue instructional language policy without considering the existed unbalanced stage of development among different regions and with no or sufficient readiness to provide education using mother tongue instructional language seems to be more of political decision than a proper pedagogical shift. It is recommended that an in depth feasibility research that focuses on the students pedagogical needs and the population distribution pattern in the country would support the proper monitoring of a genuine and applicable mother tongue instructional language policy.

Universal journal of educational research, 2024

Planning and Changing, 2006

Following the change of government in 1991, Ethiopia's education system has been undergoing fundamental change. No part of the education system has been left untouched. A centralized administration was replaced by a decentralized one in line with the principle of federalism under which the current government has been organized. The federal Ministry of Education, which was highly centralized in the past, has now been decentralized into many states, district-level bureaus, and departments demarcated on ethnic lines. The decentralization process, in addition to devolving authority, has brought with it various change initiatives, one of which is the change in media of instruction. Until the current government took power, the media of instruction in Ethiopia's formal education system were Amharic (for elementary level) and English (for junior high and above). Whereas the socialist government (1974-91) had encouraged the use of some 15 ethnic languages in non-formal education, the imperial regime (which ruled the country until 1974) preferred to use one official language (Amharic) with the intention of safeguarding national integrity. According to the 1994 census, more than 80 ethnic groups exist in Ethiopia. The new ethnic-based states were demarcated into 14 (at least initially) ethnic-based boundaries that comprise as many as 20 ethnic groups per state. The number of languages used as media of instruction varies from state to state. In the Southern Nation, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPRS) alone, for instance, eight local languages of instruction have been in use at the primary level (Cohen, 2000). The authors of this work appreciate the advantages of vernacular education for children but argue that rushing to formulate and to implement the new instructional language policy, without considering such factors as the existing unbalanced level of development among the newly created states and the absence of any meaningful preparation to deliver education in the newly chosen languages, appears to be more of a political gimmick than a sound pedagogical move. The current study intends to explain the formulation, implementation, and outcome of Ethiopia's instructional language policy in light of the PRINCE system of power analysis as adapted by Fowler (2004) along with several literature references pertinent to the issue. After providing a brief background on Ethiopia and its education and language of instruction policies, this article analyzes the formulation and implementation of Ethiopia's present instructional language policy and problems therein.

12345678910, 2022

During Haile Selase's presidency, a formal language policy was created for the first time. And while the Dergu's language strategy was expected to result in the growth of multiple Ethiopian languages, it instead focused on the use of just one. Following the demise of the Dergue, our country has experienced a change toward a mother tongue instructional language policy since 1994, when the previous EPRDF was in power. The goal of this study is to explain and demonstrate Ethiopian mother tongue instructional language development, implementation, and outcomes. A contextual discourse analysis was used to bring the study to life. To that end, after providing a brief background on Ethiopia's present mother tongue instructional language policy, an examination of the policy's creation and execution, as well as its issues, was examined through document inspection and analysis. Finally, the findings revealed that the author of this study valued the benefits of a mother tongue instructional policy for students; however, the researcher contends that making a hasty decision to formulate and implement a mother tongue instructional language policy without taking into account the existing unbalanced stage of development among different regions and the lack of or insufficient readiness to provide education in the mother tongue instructional language appears to be more threatening. An in-depth feasibility study focusing on students' pedagogical demands and the country's population distribution pattern is suggested as a way to ensure that a real and suitable mother tongue instructional language policy is properly monitored.

2021

This study examines the first four decades of the one-hundred-and-twenty years old sociolinguistic roles of the French language in Ethiopia. The study covers the period from 1897, when the first bilateral agreements between King Menilik and the then representative of France, Lagarde, were signed, to 1935. It is noted that in this period, which is the heyday of French in Ethiopia, missionaries from France and diplomatic relations between France and Ethiopia have played major roles in popularizing French in Ethiopia's education system and print media. The French language and culture also played pivotal roles in moulding emerging urban and elite culture in Ethiopia. French's influence may also be observed in the positive attitude, which the Ethiopian urban people have towards the language French.

Official language choice in a multilingual polity is a challenging phenomenon. One of such polities, Ethiopia, took “historical accident” justifications for grant to select its official language which unequivocally disregards its own linguistic diversities. Amharic language has been arbitrarily designated as the sole official language of Ethiopia since the making of modern Ethiopia. This piece uses government documents and other literature to examine Ethiopia’s official language choice and its consequences. Overall, the findings show that the knowledge of Amharic language remained determinant in order to access federal government institutions thereby serving as a means of exclusion of non-official language speakers, such as Oromo, the largest ethnic group in the country. This work thus suggests rethinking official language of Ethiopia.