Browsing by Author "Bhattacharya, Jasodhara"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effective bilingual education in Francophone West Africa: Constraints and possibilities
    (2023-03-24) Ball, Mary-Claire; Bhattacharya, Jasodhara; Zhao, Hui; Akpe, Yapo, Hermann; Brogno, Stephanie; Jasińska, Kaja
    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 (Bühmann & Trudell, 2007; Takam & Fassé, 2020). However, the adoption of bilingual education does not guarantee positive learning outcomes (e.g., Ball et al., 2022). 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.