Reducing conflict in the language domain: A challenge for diverse learner populated schools in mining towns in Zimbabwe

Oct 15, 2026

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Linguistically diverse ethnic groups settled in Zimbabwe’s mining towns where jobs attracted economically motivated migration and produced diverse primary-school populations. Language-domain conflict characterizes these mine-administered primary schools, prompting the study’s aim to identify how such conflict can be reduced. A phenomenological design was used with 38 purposively selected participants, including administrators, SDC members, managers, and Grade 6 learners, using document analysis and interviews. Findings show conflict manifests as hatred, exclusion of indigenous languages, and competition over the language of instruction. The study concludes conflict can be minimized through teaching relevant local languages and tolerating them.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background on language-domain conflict in diverse regions

Migration-driven linguistic diversity in Zimbabwe’s mining towns

Incidents illustrating language-rooted conflict

Abstract

Study aim and approach

Participants and methods

Findings and implications

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 4(2), pp. 31-41, April 2016 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Reducing conflict in the language domain: A challenge for diverse learner populated schools in mining towns in Zimbabwe Daniel Madzanire1* and Corinne Meier2 1 Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Great Zimbabwe University, P.O. Box 1235 , Masvingo, Zimbabwe. 2 Department of Early Childhood Development, College of Education, P. O. Box 392, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. Accepted 31 March, 2016 | ABSTRACT
Linguistically diverse ethnic groups settled in mining towns in Zimbabwe where employment opportunities were high. As a result of this economic-motivated migration which engineered a diverse population, conflict in the language domain characterises primary schools that are administered by mines. This study aimed to investigate how conflict in the language domain can be reduced. A phenomenological research design was used. A sample of 38 participants consisting of three school administrators, three School Development Committee (SDC) members, two company managers and thirty Grade 6 learners was purposively drawn. Document analysis and interviews were used to gather data. The study revealed that diverse learner populated schools were besieged by language-based conflict which manifested as hatred, exclusion of some indigenous languages from the curriculum and competition over the indigenous language to be used as the language of instruction or the subject of study. It also emerged that language-based conflict could be minimised not only by teaching and learning languages spoken in and around the school but also by tolerating them.
Keywords: Linguistic diversity, cultural conflict, multicultural education, education plan, diverse learner populated schools. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. E-mail: danielmadzanire@gmai[l.com. Tel:](l.com. Tel:) +263772243277. | INTRODUCTION Conflict in the language domain is noticeable in the world today especially in nations that are characterised by diversity as well as in institutions that deal with several diverse-oriented countries. In the European Union where linguistically diverse countries come into contact, language-rooted conflict is encountered as member states clash over the predominance of two languages – English and French- in an institution where twenty-four official languages are accepted as working languages (Ammon, 2006 ; Christiansen, 2006) . For instance, it was reported in an article on language conflicts in the European Union that there were regular protests by the German government against being addressed in English (Ammon, 2006) . In fact Germans, Austrians, French, Italians and Spaniards fear that the international standing of their own languages may suffer owing to the predominance of English language. In the United States, a country characterised by linguistic diversity (Banks, 2014), it has been reported that conflict in the language domain is typical. The parents who speak a first language other than English are demanding that their leaders, images, hopes, languages, and dreams be mirrored in the curriculum. In northern Africa, particularly in Morocco, most conflicts occur as a result of differing social status and preferential treatment of the dominant language (Zouhir, 2013) . For example, the speakers of Berber and Moroccan Arabic languages compete for the recognition and preferential treatment of their respective languages. In southern Africa, especially in Zimbabwe, languagerooted conflict is prominent in mining towns (Indabawa and Mpofu, 2006) , which became linguistically diverse due to migration. The migrant labourers who came to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia (now Malawi and Zambia respectively) speak Chewa (Hachipola, 1998) . Other dwellers in Zimbabwean mining towns relocated to the mining towns from within. This is the case with the Sh

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study?

To investigate how conflict in the language domain can be reduced in diverse learner populated schools in Zimbabwe’s mining towns.

How was data collected in the research?

The study used document analysis and interviews with a purposively selected sample of 38 participants.

How does language-domain conflict manifest in these primary schools?

It appears as hatred, exclusion of some indigenous languages from the curriculum, and competition over which language should be used for instruction or study.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford