Education & Language
no images were found
Perhaps the most significant legacy of the colonial era is that Vanuatu retains both English and French as the sole languages of instruction in its schools. Though there is now only one educational system, parents still opt to send their children either to a French track or an English track. Thus, young ni-Vanuatu are still instructed in one–and only one–of the former colonial languages.
| Maxime Carlot Korman on Bilingualism
“This government is here to give an opportunity to families, in all freedom, to choose whatever language they want, be it the Anglophone or the Francophone. It’s the same [for both].” |
Approximately 60% of Vanuatu students attend English language schools, and 40% of them go to French Language schools. So as to hedge their bets, many politically savvy parents have opted to diversify their educational investments by having some of their children schooled in French while their brothers or sisters learn English!
| Greetings in a Francophone School in Santo | |
| Greeting at Fanafo, Santo. “Happy Forest Land” |
When it comes to popular education and culture, the favored medium of communication remains Bislama. Whether it be in the realm
Gambule Schoolchildren
of health education, music, or political campaigning, Bislama is the language of choice. Indeed, Bislama is the major vehicle for promoting national unity. Vanuatu’s single newspaper, a weekly, carries articles in all three languages. Radio Vanuatu also broadcasts in Bislama, English and French.
Nasawa Primary School (Francophone)