Teacher and student perspectives on English and Kiswahili: Exploring Kenya's official language policy

Kenya is one of the most multilingual countries in the world. There are more than forty distinct ethnic tribes in Kenya, each with its own indigenous language. Yet the current language policy that has declared Kiswahili as the national language and English as the official language of Kenya contributes daily to the death of each of these indigenous/minority languages.;This ethnographic study was conducted to understand the following things: (1) the extent to which English is used in Kenya, (2) the manner(s) in which English usage is encouraged in Kenya, (3) the kinds of classroom experiences that are occurring, (4) any problems that exist because of the language policy, and (5) the attitudes of teachers and students about having to use English as their official language, when, for many of them, it may be a second, third, or even fourth language.;This study relates the beliefs of students and teachers toward the current language policy, examining their thoughts through the following theoretical lenses: psycho-sociolinguistic theory, linguicide, and liberation theology. It indicates that many students and teachers view mastery of English as equivalent to success, a success that cannot be attained through any other language, especially the indigenous or national languages of Kenya.