Why Oburu Odinga wants mother tongue taught in primary schools

Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has called for the reintroduction of the mother tongue for primary school learners in the country.

Oburu said it is unfortunate that many children born and raised in urban areas cannot communicate in their mother tongue.

"It's concerning that only children in rural areas can communicate in their mother tongue. Our children need to learn their mother tongue," he added.

He proposed that the mother tongue should be reintroduced as a subject in lower primary schools, alongside teaching culture and traditions.

The lawmaker made these remarks during an education day event at Maranda Primary School in Bondo sub-county, where he urged young people to embrace their culture rather than Westernization.

"Even though the Kenya Constitution 2010 underscored the importance of mother tongue as a vehicle of cultural development, we're getting lost as a community when we cannot teach our children to communicate in their language," said Oburu.

The lawmaker was accompanied by Siaya Governor James Orengo, Kisumu Deputy Governor Mathews Owili, and former Bondo parliamentary aspirant Thomas Andiwo.

Mother tongue was recommended as a language of instruction in the early years of education, specifically pre-primary and lower primary.

“Competence in mother tongue is an indication of an individual’s ease in learning a second language,” said Oburu, arguing that the mother tongue should be made a mandatory subject in the Kenyan curriculum.

He added that being fluent in other languages is not an indication of being bright in class.