Language Policy of the Gambia

The government official decision regarding the use of language in public domains undoubtedly impacts language, language use, and language ideologies. Through literature review, observations, and interviews, language policy on paper and language practices in the Gambia are examined. While plans to develop a dedicated policy on languages are in place, there are both colonial and postcolonial constitutional, cultural, and educational pronouncements on language and language use. The policies are in practice at some public domains (law courts, hospitals, and the media), business and religious spaces but the explicit policy statements about languages and language use in educational policies remain on paper. The lack of implementing policies is a subject of further investigation; however, the lack of commitment of the local elites or resistance to the Adapted Curriculum policy during the colonial administration is analyzed and documented here. Teaching of local languages, their use as media of instruction, and the relevance of education as bedrocks of the Adapted Curriculum may shape rethinking about languages in education and how to address attitudes and provisions of technical and vocational education.