A critical analysis of the historical and contemporary status of minority languages in Zimbabwe

Although a voluminous amount of literature addresses language-in-education policy in Africa, one area in which the literature remains sparse is the role of minority languages in education. This article presents an overview of complex issues regarding the hegemony claims of different minority language groups in Zimbabwe. Given the relatively small research base dealing explicitly with controversies in the promotion of minority languages as the media of instruction, this article uses archival and historical literature to trace intricate controversies about language in education within minority African languages groups. This article argues that the interrelationships between the dynamics of the state, ethnic composition, and history vary considerably and impact the success of minority language policies.