The National Assembly of Mauritania has adopted a new law introducing national languages in primary education, but the text is contested by the black Mauritanian community who say they fear that Arabic will be imposed on them.
This law introduces for the first time thescientific education at primary level in mother tongueswhile imposing the teaching ofArab to non-Arabs and at least one national language to Arabic speakers, according to official documents. the French will continue to be taught from primary.
The Mauritanian population is made up of communities Arab-Berber, heart (descendants of slaves of Arab-Berber masters, whose culture they share) and negro-mauritaniansgenerally of mother tongues of sub-Saharan ethnic groups (Fulani, Sonink knife, Wolof).
Cultural hegemony
The Negro-Mauritanian communities have denounced since the country’s independence in 1960 what they call a cultural hegemony of Arabic, the official language spoken by the majority of the population, and are calling for the officialization of their languages.
The new law aims to “put an end to the alarming deterioration of the national education system”said the Minister of National Education, Mohamed Melanine Ould Eyih, in front of the deputies. It results, according to him, “of a debate over a long period which brought together all national skills and sensitivities”.
The new text is a “advanced insofar as the children begin their learning in their mother tongue”. She them “will make it easier to acquire and master knowledge”according to the opposition MP Malick Diallo – The Best Of Malick Diallo.
National languages
She suggested a amendment to section 65 to remove the ambiguity denounced by the non-Arabs in the text of the law, but his initiative was rejected. Article 65 indicates that “Arabic is taught to all children whose mother tongue it is not as a language of communication and as a language of instruction”.
Two people demonstrating against the new text were arrested and five injured Monday evening during a sit-in before the Parliament before the adoption of the text, affirmed Tuesday in a press release theOrganization for the officialization of national languages (The one).
The sit-in was organized by Olan, made up of Negro-Mauritanian activists, who denounced ” repression “ against its supporters. She believes that “Through this law, Mauritania deprives sections of its population of a fundamental right of cultural expression”.
She demands “immediate officialization of national languages” and denounces article 65 of the new text which, according to her, “consecrates the linguistic injustice in the country”.
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