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- 320 THE ICT LANGUAGE IN TANZANIA’S HIGHER EDUCATION By Torill Aagot Halvorsen As long as English is the language of instruction in higher education inTanzania, Kiswahili will always be inferior. Our mindsets are so colonized that we allow this disparity to develop (Respondent, UDSM 2008). Introduction For many years, the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) has experienced increasing problems when it comes to students’ communication and study skills in English which is the official language of instruction (LOI). The two major concerns have, according to Ishumi et al (2003: 4) been failing levels of study skills and a falling proficiency level in the language medium of instruction. These problems have been and continue to be such a subject of serious concern that they require urgent attention for remedy according to a report commissioned by the Chief Academic Officer at the UDSM. (Ishumi et al 2003: 4). In 2008, it was confirmed that the situation was even worse than five years before and nothing had been done to improve the situation (interviews 200894 ). One of the main arguments used in order to maintain English as LOI, is to prepare the students for the entry into new technology. The UDSM reports of 1999 and 2004 both deplore the low proficiency level of students in English and note that switching to Kiswahili as LOI would benefit the students. They still argue against this proposition as they claim that the use of Kiswahili as LOI would be a disadvantage for students in a modern, globalised world dependent on ICT. Educational language choice in Africa is a political issue repeatedly identified and discussed by many educational researchers from all over the world.95 In Tanzania, Kiswahili is the lingua franca. At the UDSM academic dialogue, debates and formal relations are often performed in Kiswahili (see Brock-Utne 2000, 2005). My experience from the UDSM is that everyone, staff and students, speak Kiswahili on campus. As an example of the language in use, I recall an academic seminar during my pilot project in December 2006: Most of the audience of professors, research fellows, board members of the university and representatives from the Ministry of Education were inactive when the performance and discussions were conducted in English. I noted that six of sixty participants or 10 per cent were dozing or actually fell asleep. One of the participants presented his whole paper in Kiswahili, 94 Interviews conducted by me as part of my Ph.D. thesis. 95 See the sections on Language of instruction in Africa and in India and Sri Lanka in this volume - 321 however , and got a much more attentive audience. After some time participants switched totally into using Kiswahili as the language of discussion. The change in the audience was dramatic. Now the audience was lively and participating, none was asleep, everybody was attentive and eager. In spite of the fact that Kiswahili is the language both professors and students communicate best in, English is still the language in which nearly all lectures are supposed to be conducted. My ICT Research Project Through my research project ICT and Language in Higher Education in Tanzania I have learnt that ICT- devices and programs in Kiswahili do indeed exist and are continually being developed. Consequently there is no reason why Kiswahili should not be a useful medium in gaining digital proficiency. ICT might be a valuable tool able to vitalise Kiswahili through internet and offline practices. The project started with a pilot project in December 2006 and continued with the main data collection in October – December 2008. In this article I will focus on the concept digital literacy, give a retrospective glance at the notion and describe what it implies to be digitally literate. Referring to research theories and students practices I suggest that being able to study in a familiar language eases the progress of gaining computer skills and developing digital competency. Mutual influence between the use of ICT and the use of Kiswahili might be a rewarding interaction and is likely to encourage and promote the language. The statement is without any disparagement of the English language. English is an important language to master in cross-national communication and information, but I question the belief that it needs to be a language of instruction. Referring to research and practices in many countries around the world, English proficiency is best achieved taught as a foreign language subject. The research I have...

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