Uganda is making strides in promoting linguistic diversity, multilingualism and the protection of mother tongues, Minister for State for Gender and Culture Peace Regis Mutuuzo has said.

Uganda has emphasised the teaching of mother tongues at all levels of education, the minister told reporters on Thursday on the eve of International Mother Language Day, which falls on Saturday, February 21.

Education in the first language is essential for quality learning and cultural preservation, Mutuuzo said. “This informs part of the government of Uganda’s policy on early childhood education, where pupils are instructed in their mother tongue until “primary level four” and also buttresses the teaching of mother languages at primary, secondary and higher institutions of learning at tertiary or university level,” the minister said.

The government recognises language as a fundamental pillar of cultural identity, social inclusion and sustainable national development, she said.

Uganda aligns its language development efforts with the vision and aspirations of the African Union (AU), which recognises African languages as drivers of integration, identity and socio-economic transformation, the minister said.

She said that Uganda contributes to regional and continental efforts in language policy development, orthography harmonisation, terminology development, translation and the increased use of African languages in education, governance, media and public life, working in partnership with the African Academy of Languages, the specialised institution of the AU responsible for the promotion and harmonization of African languages across the continent.

International Mother Language Day, observed worldwide annually on February 21, promotes awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and encourages multilingualism.

In Uganda, this year’s commemoration will be held under the theme of “Languages Matter: Harnessing technology to document and develop Uganda’s indigenous languages.”

More than 40 indigenous languages, mainly belonging to the Bantu, Nilotic and Central Sudanic language families, are spoken across Uganda.

• A Tell Media / Xinhua report