East Africa: Kiswahili Goes to School in South Africa

East Africa: Kiswahili Goes to School in South Africa

South Africa has become the first southern African country to offer Kiswahili as an optional subject in schools, raising hopes for the growth of the language considered the lingua franca of East Africa.

Kiswahili will be taught along with French, German and Mandarin. The government plans to roll out the teaching in 90 schools.

It is the first African language from outside southern Africa to be offered in schools. Already, South Africa has reached out to Kenya and Tanzania to recruit teachers of the language. Learn more about this topic by reading on AllAfrica.