THE government plans to avail Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of all Kiswahili experts to all foreign embassies, in a bid to market them in case they are needed.
The revelation was made by the Minister of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, Dr Harrison Mwakyembe while officiating the opening of a one-week training to strengthen Kiswahili teaching skills that was coordinated by the Tanzania Kiswahili Council (BAKITA).
The training that is being conducted at the University of Dodoma (UDOM), is now on its second phase. The session kicked off on March 9, 2020 and is expected to reach its climax today.
In tapping the opportunities for Kiswahili language training in foreign nations, Dr Mwakyembe asked BAKITA to establish a data base for the language’s experts so that they get opportunities whenever they arise.
“There is one prominent politician from South Africa who demanded that Kiswahili be a language of the African Continent, and that is the point when I inquired if we had the capacity to have 200 Kiswahili lecturers to teach the language outside the country, and I directed BAKITA to prepare a sustainable database,’’ noted Dr Mwakyembe.
The minister added that he was waiting to have a good number so that he can forward their names to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, so that the list can be forwarded to all foreign embassies.
On translators, Dr Mwakyembe said the government was contemplating coming up with the necessary equipment so that graduates in language studies can find it easier to do their job.
“This time around, we have started with BAKITA, and we requested the government to have the equipment, and I believe that the request will sail through. However, we are now doing massive campaigns to have the equipment at every campus that is teaching linguistics,’’ added the minister.
Speaking at the occasion, BAKITA Executive Secretary, Consolata Mushi said that since August, 2018, her council established a short-course programme to strengthen Kiswahili teaching to foreigners.
She said the training ought to be provided to graduates of Higher Learning Institutions in Kiswahili language from Bachelor’s Degree to Doctorate Degree in order to identify the language experts immediately.
