Nambya
is
one
of
Zimbabwe’s
16
official
languages,
as
recognised
in
the
2013
Constitution,
and
is
taught
in
both
primary
and
secondary
schools
in
the
district.
In
the
National
Assembly,
Bonda
asked
the
Minister
of
Public
Service,
Labour
and
Social
Welfare,
Edgar
Moyo,
to
explain
why
trained
Nambya-speaking
teachers
are
not
being
employed
in
Hwange
District,
while
non-speakers
continue
to
be
posted
there.
He
said
this
practice
was
“depriving
children
of
instruction
in
their
mother
tongue
at
the
early
education
stage”,
which
he
described
as
crucial
for
both
academic
performance
and
cultural
development.
Parents
in
the
district
also
say
the
issue
is
affecting
children’s
performance
in
school.
“Our
children
are
disadvantaged
from
the
start,”
said
Ester
Ncube,
a
parent
in
Jambezi
under
Chief
Shana.
“If
a
child
cannot
understand
the
teacher
in
Grade
One,
it
affects
everything
that
follows,”
she
added.
“Language
is
part
of
who
we
are,”
said
local
elder
Eliziya
Vashe
Shoko.
“If
schools
do
not
teach
in
Nambya,
we
are
slowly
losing
our
identity.
Government
must
take
this
seriously.”
Lindiwe
Sibanda,
a
recent
graduate,
argued
that
there
are
trained
teachers
who
speak
Nambya,
Lozvi,
Chidombe
and
other
local
languages,
but
they
are
not
being
deployed
in
the
area.
“At
the
same
time,
teachers
from
outside
are
brought
in.
It
does
not
make
sense.
These
languages
should
be
prioritised
so
that
communities
feel
a
sense
of
belonging
and
respect,”
said
Shoko.
Under
Zimbabwe’s
language
policy
framework,
learners
are
expected
to
be
taught
in
their
mother
tongue
during
the
early
grades.