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The number of enrollments for Chinese, Japanese, and Spanish language classes have gone up by 10-15 percent; as more people strive to be multilingual and achieve their various ambitions, report language schools within Nairobi.
According to Mr. Jonathan, the head of languages at ACK Language and Orientation School, Nairobi is becoming cosmopolitan and people need to communicate effectively and inter-culturally hence the rise in demand for foreign languages lessons.
Most of the people enrolling in the language schools are young adults in the age group 17 -35; with some taking the lessons in preparation for joining various education intuitions out of the country and some doing it for business or career purposes.
The rise in enrollment for Chinese language, explains Jonathan, is because ‘china is becoming a super power as they are now almost everywhere’
‘people are also going there for businesses such as establishing language schools.’ He adds.
China and Japan have also established companies in Kenya and most employees have problems communicating with their bosses and therefore take up the classes to learn the basics of these languages.
Kenyan universities are also rolling out foreign language programmes as nations and investors increasingly turn to the East African country for resources to boost their industrial growth;with Nairobi University and Kenyatta university recently introducing new courses in Korean and Chinese respectively.
English is also a major language taken up in the language schools, mostly by foreigners including the Swahili, Chinese and Koreans, most of whom are young people wanting to join local higher education institutions and colleges.
For most kids however, the enrollment is usually in vernacular languages especially during the holidays; as most of them learn other foreign languages in their schools.
Jonathan says this is important especially for them to be able to communicate with their rural folks and it is also part of culture.
‘It’s a disgrace if one can’t express herself in her mother tongue.’
ACK Language school offers lessons in vernacular including Kimaasai, Kikuyu, Dholuo, Luhyia, Kalenjin, Kikamba, and Kimeru among others.
But whether one learns an extra language for career or other purposes; being bilingual has its own benefits.
It helps one to be able to interact with people of different cultures and increases career opportunities, offering several job options.
A multilingual person is also flexible in thinking in that for each idea or object, one has two or more words for it and can therefore develop an ability to think more creatively.
A bilingual person can also read, understand and appreciate literatures in various languages. This gives a deeper knowledge of different ideas and traditions and helps improve the ways of thinking and behaving.
Most language schools offer language lessons to all ages including kids, but the choice of the language one takes will depend on ones ambitions and interests.
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