A reflection on the need for a language management scheme at the university of Rwanda’s college of education

Abstract

The issue of language policy and management has been tackled by various scholars worldwide, but gaps are observed in studies that explored the language management schemes in schools, particularly in institutions of higher learning. This paper contributes to filling this gap by reflecting on the need to design a language management scheme for the University of Rwanda’s College of Education to promote language proficiency and quality education. Using Gundersen’s language management model as a theoretical framework and drawing from an analytical approach, this article explores the urgent need for developing the language management scheme at the University of Rwanda – College of Education. It highlights the enablers and challenges for developing and implementing such a language management scheme and recommends some strategies to capitalize on those enablers to solve language problems at the College. Throughout the paper, our argument is that a language management scheme is needed for the promotion of the proficiency in all five languages used at the College generally, and in English particularly, which is used as a medium of instruction.