Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia

Dereje Birbirso; Tesfaye Gerba; Roba Wodessa

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11

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Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia

Dereje Birbirso, Tesfaye Gerba, Roba Wodessa

Published in International Journal of Elementary Education (Volume 8, Issue 2)

Received: 30 March 2019 Accepted: 23 May 2019 Published: 10 June 2019

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Abstract

This study explored the condition of being a child and a primary school student in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. The study was instigated by the widespread complaints in the aftermath of Millennium Development Goal two (MDG2) that in eastern Ethiopia of (semi-) pastoralist community, children are left far behind with not only the opportunity to literacy. The aim of this study was to assess the existing EFL primary school literacy achievements, success and challenges in the Dire Dawa Town suburbs of Oromo and Somali semi-pastoralist communities. Adopting an ethnographic participant observation approach, five primary schools were selected based on convenience or accessibility. Totally, twenty-five active primary schools Grade 4 children and 14 dropouts were sampled based on availability sampling technique from the five schools. A Basic Vocabulary Assessment Battery (BVAB) was designed as a primary data collection tool. Besides, School Observation and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were employed. The BVAB results of those actively schooling indicate, in contrast to our original hypothesis, fair level of English literacy. However, the FDG data obtained from the dropouts confirmed our hypothesis that abject poverty and the fragility of implementing the policy of children’s rights to education in their mother tongues are stumbling blocks to literacy as well as opportunity to schooling. Important policy implications are offered.

Published in	International Journal of Elementary Education (Volume 8, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11
Page(s)	38-44
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Ethiopia, Language Policy, Primary School Education, English Literacy, Semi-Pastoral Society

References

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APA Style

Dereje Birbirso, Tesfaye Gerba, Roba Wodessa. (2019). Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. International Journal of Elementary Education, 8(2), 38-44. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11

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ACS Style

Dereje Birbirso; Tesfaye Gerba; Roba Wodessa. Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. Int. J. Elem. Educ. 2019, 8(2), 38-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11

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AMA Style

Dereje Birbirso, Tesfaye Gerba, Roba Wodessa. Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. Int J Elem Educ. 2019;8(2):38-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11,
  author = {Dereje Birbirso and Tesfaye Gerba and Roba Wodessa},
  title = {Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia},
  journal = {International Journal of Elementary Education},
  volume = {8},
  number = {2},
  pages = {38-44},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijeedu.20190802.11},
  abstract = {This study explored the condition of being a child and a primary school student in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. The study was instigated by the widespread complaints in the aftermath of Millennium Development Goal two (MDG2) that in eastern Ethiopia of (semi-) pastoralist community, children are left far behind with not only the opportunity to literacy. The aim of this study was to assess the existing EFL primary school literacy achievements, success and challenges in the Dire Dawa Town suburbs of Oromo and Somali semi-pastoralist communities. Adopting an ethnographic participant observation approach, five primary schools were selected based on convenience or accessibility. Totally, twenty-five active primary schools Grade 4 children and 14 dropouts were sampled based on availability sampling technique from the five schools. A Basic Vocabulary Assessment Battery (BVAB) was designed as a primary data collection tool. Besides, School Observation and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were employed. The BVAB results of those actively schooling indicate, in contrast to our original hypothesis, fair level of English literacy. However, the FDG data obtained from the dropouts confirmed our hypothesis that abject poverty and the fragility of implementing the policy of children’s rights to education in their mother tongues are stumbling blocks to literacy as well as opportunity to schooling. Important policy implications are offered.},
 year = {2019}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia
AU  - Dereje Birbirso
AU  - Tesfaye Gerba
AU  - Roba Wodessa
Y1  - 2019/06/10
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11
T2  - International Journal of Elementary Education
JF  - International Journal of Elementary Education
JO  - International Journal of Elementary Education
SP  - 38
EP  - 44
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7640
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11
AB  - This study explored the condition of being a child and a primary school student in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. The study was instigated by the widespread complaints in the aftermath of Millennium Development Goal two (MDG2) that in eastern Ethiopia of (semi-) pastoralist community, children are left far behind with not only the opportunity to literacy. The aim of this study was to assess the existing EFL primary school literacy achievements, success and challenges in the Dire Dawa Town suburbs of Oromo and Somali semi-pastoralist communities. Adopting an ethnographic participant observation approach, five primary schools were selected based on convenience or accessibility. Totally, twenty-five active primary schools Grade 4 children and 14 dropouts were sampled based on availability sampling technique from the five schools. A Basic Vocabulary Assessment Battery (BVAB) was designed as a primary data collection tool. Besides, School Observation and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were employed. The BVAB results of those actively schooling indicate, in contrast to our original hypothesis, fair level of English literacy. However, the FDG data obtained from the dropouts confirmed our hypothesis that abject poverty and the fragility of implementing the policy of children’s rights to education in their mother tongues are stumbling blocks to literacy as well as opportunity to schooling. Important policy implications are offered.
VL  - 8
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Dereje Birbirso

School of Foreign Language & Journalism, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia
Tesfaye Gerba

School of Foreign Language & Journalism, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia
Roba Wodessa

School of Foreign Language & Journalism, Haramaya University, Haramaya, Ethiopia

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APA Style

Dereje Birbirso, Tesfaye Gerba, Roba Wodessa. (2019). Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. International Journal of Elementary Education, 8(2), 38-44. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11

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ACS Style

Dereje Birbirso; Tesfaye Gerba; Roba Wodessa. Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. Int. J. Elem. Educ. 2019, 8(2), 38-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11

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AMA Style

Dereje Birbirso, Tesfaye Gerba, Roba Wodessa. Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. Int J Elem Educ. 2019;8(2):38-44. doi: 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11,
  author = {Dereje Birbirso and Tesfaye Gerba and Roba Wodessa},
  title = {Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia},
  journal = {International Journal of Elementary Education},
  volume = {8},
  number = {2},
  pages = {38-44},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijeedu.20190802.11},
  abstract = {This study explored the condition of being a child and a primary school student in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. The study was instigated by the widespread complaints in the aftermath of Millennium Development Goal two (MDG2) that in eastern Ethiopia of (semi-) pastoralist community, children are left far behind with not only the opportunity to literacy. The aim of this study was to assess the existing EFL primary school literacy achievements, success and challenges in the Dire Dawa Town suburbs of Oromo and Somali semi-pastoralist communities. Adopting an ethnographic participant observation approach, five primary schools were selected based on convenience or accessibility. Totally, twenty-five active primary schools Grade 4 children and 14 dropouts were sampled based on availability sampling technique from the five schools. A Basic Vocabulary Assessment Battery (BVAB) was designed as a primary data collection tool. Besides, School Observation and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were employed. The BVAB results of those actively schooling indicate, in contrast to our original hypothesis, fair level of English literacy. However, the FDG data obtained from the dropouts confirmed our hypothesis that abject poverty and the fragility of implementing the policy of children’s rights to education in their mother tongues are stumbling blocks to literacy as well as opportunity to schooling. Important policy implications are offered.},
 year = {2019}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Battling to Become English-Literate in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia
AU  - Dereje Birbirso
AU  - Tesfaye Gerba
AU  - Roba Wodessa
Y1  - 2019/06/10
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11
T2  - International Journal of Elementary Education
JF  - International Journal of Elementary Education
JO  - International Journal of Elementary Education
SP  - 38
EP  - 44
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7640
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijeedu.20190802.11
AB  - This study explored the condition of being a child and a primary school student in Semi-Pastoral Society of Eastern Ethiopia. The study was instigated by the widespread complaints in the aftermath of Millennium Development Goal two (MDG2) that in eastern Ethiopia of (semi-) pastoralist community, children are left far behind with not only the opportunity to literacy. The aim of this study was to assess the existing EFL primary school literacy achievements, success and challenges in the Dire Dawa Town suburbs of Oromo and Somali semi-pastoralist communities. Adopting an ethnographic participant observation approach, five primary schools were selected based on convenience or accessibility. Totally, twenty-five active primary schools Grade 4 children and 14 dropouts were sampled based on availability sampling technique from the five schools. A Basic Vocabulary Assessment Battery (BVAB) was designed as a primary data collection tool. Besides, School Observation and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were employed. The BVAB results of those actively schooling indicate, in contrast to our original hypothesis, fair level of English literacy. However, the FDG data obtained from the dropouts confirmed our hypothesis that abject poverty and the fragility of implementing the policy of children’s rights to education in their mother tongues are stumbling blocks to literacy as well as opportunity to schooling. Important policy implications are offered.
VL  - 8
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download