Effective bilingual education in Francophone West Africa: constraints and possibilities

Bilingual education that incorporates a local language alongside the official language has become an increasingly common approach in sub-Saharan Africa for improving literacy rates and learning outcomes. Evidence suggests that bilingual instruction is largely associated with positive learning and li...

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Published in:International journal of bilingual education and bilingualism 2024-07, Vol.27 (6), p.821-835
Main Authors: Ball, Mary-Claire, Bhattacharya, Jasodhara, Zhao, Hui, Akpé, Hermann, Brogno, Stephanie, Jasińska, Kaja K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bilingual education
Cultural factors
Education policy
Francophones
Learning outcomes
Literacy
Sociocultural factors
sub-Saharan Africa
Teacher attitudes
Teacher education
West Africa
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Summary:Bilingual education that incorporates a local language alongside the official language has become an increasingly common approach in sub-Saharan Africa for improving literacy rates and learning outcomes. Evidence suggests that bilingual instruction is largely associated with positive learning and literacy outcomes globally. However, the adoption of bilingual education does not guarantee positive learning outcomes. This paper reviews bilingual programs in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on programs in six Francophone West African countries (Niger, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon). We identified factors critical to high-quality and effective bilingual programs. Implementation factors, such as teacher training and classroom resources, and socio-cultural factors, such as perceptions of local languages in education, constrain and contribute to the quality of bilingual education. These insights may help inform policy-makers and other stakeholders seeking to improve bilingual education programs in Francophone West Africa and other contexts.
ISSN:1367-0050
1747-7522
DOI:10.1080/13670050.2023.2290482