Language of Instruction and Education Policies in Kenya

Abstract

This policy synthesis addresses issues regarding the language of instruction (LOI) through distinct Kenyan educational policy documents. This work points out the ramifications of the lack of clear policies addressing language in the Kenyan education system and the implications, both context-specific and globally on individual identities in such contexts. The conceptual framework used in this policy synthesis follows de Galbert’s (2021) idea that emphasizes the impacts caused by lingering linguistic imperialism to highly influence the Global South in educational policies and how the language used in the classrooms might exacerbate inequalities instead of eradicating them. The methodology used analyzes three distinct documents, the Kenyan Constitution of 2010 (Kenya, L. O., 2013), the Republic of Kenya’s National Curriculum Policy (2018), and the Basic Education Curriculum Framework (2019) in an attempt to present a clear picture of Kenya’s LOI policy. This policy brief highlights the implications of positioning English as the LOI, especially regarding the equitable erasure of all the linguistic and cultural identities of the Indigenous languages.