Eighteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

In post-1991 Ethiopia, cultural diversity and the protection of cultural communities has received ample attention. At the center of the recognition of cultural diversity is the protection of language rights and linguistic groups, which is the cornerstone of the constitutional dispensation that Ethiopia has embarked upon almost two decades ago. The Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (The Constitution or the FDRE Constitution) declares that all Ethiopian languages shall enjoy equal state recognition and allows for regional preference in language use. In many aspects, the language in education policy and the practice thereof represents an extension of the constitutional commitment to the equality of all language groups. However, it is often argued that a closer look at the implementation of the language in education policy reveals a great deal of inconsistency in the handling of issues related to the use of languages in education. Many attribute this to the lack of clear laws and policies. Others attribute the problem to inconsistent implementation of the existing laws and policies. This chapter seeks to critically examine the laws and policies that regulate the use of languages in education and investigate their implementation.