Problems and prospects of teaching Tamazight

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Language policy in Morocco: Problems and prospects of teaching Tamazight


Mohammed Errihani



Abstract:


The present paper examines the new language policy of teaching Berber (Tamazight) in Moroccan schools, which came into effect in the fall of 2003 when Tamazight was for the first time introduced in some 300 elementary schools across the country. This study aims primarily at discussing the status of this language policy while it is still in its initial stages of implementation. The findings discussed here are based on a qualitative research conducted in Morocco around the end of 2004 and the beginning of 2005. The data was collected mostly through interviews and classroom observation. The interviews were conducted with several members of IRCAM, representatives of the Ministry of Education, inspectors and teachers of Tamazight, high school teachers, university professors as well as a large sampling of the Moroccan population, both Arabs and Imazighen. The classroom observations, which included both levels one and two of Tamazight, took place in several elementary schools, mostly in the region of Fez.

The Journal of North African Studies
Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group
Issue: Volume 11, Number 2 / June 2006
Pages: 143 - 154

 

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I am reading this article, and it is quite impressive some things i have read in articles I also found back in the article.

 

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wat kind ?

 

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wat kind ?

The responsability of the government and the situation of teachers, students and more... A quote on IRCAM and minstry of education:

It is important to point out, however, that IRCAM has no power of execution; it simply conducts studies and research and makes propositions and recommendations meant to help breathe life into and promote the Amazigh language to the Ministry of Education, which is the only entity with the power to implement these propositions.
But while IRCAM fulfils its role by researching, proposing, and recommending, the same cannot be said of the Ministry of Education, which has been accused of hardly acting on IRCAM's recommendations...
The fact that there still exists no unit within the Ministry of Education responsible for promoting the interests of the Amazigh language may indicate that the Ministry may not be very serious about implementing and supporting the teaching of Tamazight in the first place.