Impediments in the use of indigenous African languages as languages of instruction at tertiary institutions of learning

Abstract

This article explores why it seems ‘impossible’ to conduct teaching and learning through indigenous African languages in Zimbabwean tertiary institutions. It argues that the continued disglossic situation that regards foreign languages like English, French and Portuguese to name a few, as the High languages while local languages are regarded as the Low languages is due to the perpetuation of colonial language policies. The bipolar concepts of globality and transnationality, the rise and fall of superpowers and would be superpowers, the neocolonial educational policies and the nature of politics of power in postcolonial Africa are some issues this discussion deliberates on and the extent to which these are impediments or otherwise to the use of indigenous languages in Zimbabwean tertiary institutions.