Abstract
Introduction
It is currently estimated that there are over 7,000 languages in the world and that between 35 per cent and 40 per cent of children are forced to begin formal education in a language that is not their first language (Eberhard et al., 2022; UNESCO, 2016). In the former colonies of the Global South, the languages of education are often the languages of former imperial hegemons, in spite of the preponderance of Indigenous languages already extant in these nations. Often the majority of the population within former colonies associate education with prosperity and, therefore, the language of education is viewed as a means to a better future and employment, especially if the language is English (Graddol, 1997, 2006; Phillipson, 2017; Yeh, 2016). The overall effect of the disparity between home language and the language of education, together with the curriculum that is promoted in schools, is a contested area (Mickan & Wallace, 2020; Pennycook & Makoni, 2019). How are classroom language choices determined in multilingual, postcolonial contexts? Using the context of the postcolonial Oceanic nation of Vanuatu and a narrative historical model, this chapter considers the impact of education in a hegemonic imposed language. The chapter first examines the context of Vanuatu. Secondly, a review of the relevant literature provides historical understanding of the role of English. Thirdly, a discussion of the language choices faced by educators in postcolonial contexts permits an understanding of the symbiotic relationship between languages, knowledges and cultural literacies.
