Proof is in my pupils' results, says mother tongue learning champion
Nomakwezi 'Kwesta' Dlali is not just a school principal; she is a passionate advocate for Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE).
Her commitment to helping pupils come to grips with mother tongue learning has inspired many teachers, particularly those who were initially sceptical, clinging to the belief that English is the only effective medium of instruction.
Dlali, who started her career as an English teacher in 1995 but later developed a love for teaching mathematics, is the principal of Ngubezulu Primary School in Sijingolweni village, Tsomo.
Her school, which falls under the Chris Hani East education district, was one of 150 in the Eastern Cape championing MTbBE, where mathematics, natural science and technology are taught and assessed in both isiXhosa and English.
'Yes, we are not teaching and assessing in isiXhosa, but in bilingual [both languages]. MTbBE ... seeks to address literacy in our schools, enabling children to learn and read with comprehension.'
Dlali said before the introduction of mother tongue learning, many pupils performed poorly in mathematics and struggled with comprehension despite having a good grasp of English.
'But some of them now achieve levels 5, 6 and 7 and this shows how effective MTbBE is.
'It means these kids were not understanding the concept and struggled to grasp it and MTbBE improved literacy and reading and learning with comprehension.
'One of them, a young, brilliant child, came here not exposed to bilingual learning and teaching, and struggling in maths.
'But today she is one of my top learners, and I also use her to tutor other children.
'Children understand and grasp things better in their mother tongue ... and this has been proved by the results,' Dlali said.
The 52-year-old challenged the notion that English should be the only medium of instruction, arguing that Afrikaans-speaking pupils had successfully learnt all subjects in Afrikaans from primary school through tertiary education, with English taught only as a subject.
'Why should our African languages be any different?
'Decolonising education is essential, and MTbBE aligns with this goal by enhancing literacy and comprehension in our schools.
'If we don't initiate this change now, when will it happen? If it is not started in our lifetime, when will it start?
'Uncertainty and fear of the unknown are natural; overcoming them and manoeuvring is destiny. '
Beyond her role at school, Dlali has created a nationwide audience for mother tongue learning by developing online learning materials and sharing them on TikTok.
She also champions the programme in the education district, helping to translate learning and teaching material into isiXhosa.
'I'm proud to be involved in versioning the department of basic education workbooks, which were originally written in English.
'MTbBE is not a new concept; it reflects what we do daily in our teaching — code-switching and trans-languaging. Now, we are empowered to implement it freely,' she said.
Dlali admitted that the transition to MTbBE in 2014 was not easy.
'After 19 years of teaching experience, it was as if it were my first year of teaching ...
'I was so frustrated, had to change my teaching strategies and methods and resorted to the textbook method because of the terminology that was used then, where everything was translated to isiXhosa, and some terms were new to me.'
'As I was adapting, I realised that the MTbBE was indeed working in natural sciences and technology [ Inzululwazi noBuchwepheshe ] because learners were able to express themselves in their mother tongue and their performance improved drastically.'
This year marks Dlali's 30th year of teaching mathematics, during which she has nurtured future doctors, engineers, teachers and scientists.
A standout moment in her career came in 2024 when one of her pupils, Hlumelo Makunga, was announced as the top achiever in grade 12 in the Mthawelanga Circuit, outperforming matriculants from five high schools.
Hlumelo achieved level 7 in both mathematics and English and is now studying chemical engineering at Wits University.
'He is my product, the product of the MTbBE. The reason I'm so happy is the fact that people always say: 'how are they going to cope in tertiary institutions and interviews when they're taught in isiXhosa?'
'All my learners are doing exceptionally well in all the high schools. I'm receiving phone calls from different schools, circuits, districts and provinces, from different educators, complimenting my learners.'
Dlali is now on a mission to grow her school. Ngubezulu Primary has 160 pupils and seven teachers, necessitating multi-grading, where teachers manage two classes simultaneously.
'To ensure numbers remain stable or increase, I embark on community outreach imbizos canvassing for the school,' she said.
Despite her primary school responsibilities, she follows up with her former pupils in high school, offering them free assistance with their studies.
'It's challenging balancing my duties as a teacher, school manager and my involvement in sports and music.
'However, I dedicate my time to support my learners after they pass grade 7, providing Saturday and holiday classes.'
• To follow Dlali's lessons, you can visit her TikTok account (@nomakwezi23) or find her on Facebook as Nomakwezi Kwesta Dlali.
This special report into the state of literacy, a collaborative effort by The Herald, Sowetan and Daily Dispatch, was made possible by the Henry Nxumalo Foundation
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