THE Ministry of Education, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education has reviewed the language of instruction policy in which familiar languages will be used for instruction for teaching initial literacy from pre-school to grade four, Ministry Permanent Secretary Patrick Nkanza has said.

Dr Nkanza said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the language of instruction policy had been reviewed in all necessary documents specifically in the Education Act, National Policy and the Education Curriculum Framework.

He said the new policy stated that familiar languages would be used for instruction as well as languages for teaching initial literacy from pre-school to grade four.

Dr Nkanza said the English language would be introduced as a subject at grade two but would continue to be used as a language of instruction from grade five to tertiary level.

"The language of instruction policy has been reviewed in all necessary documents specifically in the Education Act, National Policy and the Education Curriculum Framework. In this policy the familiar languages will be used as languages of instruction.

"The English language will be introduced as a subject at grade two but continue to be used as a language of instruction from grade five to tertiary level," he said.

He said the ministry had also developed a National Literacy Strategy meant to enhance the teaching of initial literacy in the Zambian languages by teachers in primary schools.

Dr Nkanza said the strategy had been followed by development of instructional materials for teaching initial literacy in all the seven official Zambian languages.

"We have also developed a National Literacy Strategy meant to enhance the teaching of initial literacy in the Zambian languages by teachers in primary schools," he said.