Abstract:
This paper provides a critical overview of the theoretical and practical questions that prevail in the teaching,
learning, and assessment of learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds in Lesotho. It investigates how
far exclusion of minority languages affects both assessment and/or educational development of learners
whose mother tongue is not Sesotho but other minority languages spoken in Lesotho. The paper advances
a research-evidenced argument that the poor performance of students from such backgrounds is indicative
of marginalisation and discrimination of such learners due to their language background. A constructivist
qualitative study was adopted through use of focus group discussions with 246 learners and 142 teachers in
23 schools located in Botha Bothe, Mohale’s Hoek, Qacha’s Nek and Quthing districts in Lesotho. These
places were selected based on their predominance of minority languages. The findings revealed diminutive
if not absolute non-recognition of minority languages in teaching, learning, and assessment of learners from
this linguistic background. Therefore, the study concludes that linguistically discriminative curriculum,
teaching and learning and assessment educational practices can reasonably be associated with poor
performance of learners. Based on these findings, the paper recommends that Lesotho’s education system
should respect and embrace existence of national minority languages. Again, the curriculum, its
implementation and more importantly assessment should not be divorced from linguistic background of
learners.
