A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Language-in-Education Policies and Their Implementations in Developing Countries: The Case of Selected Asian and African Countries

Many nations have attempted to create different language-in-education policies that would cater not only to the needs of learners but also to the demands of preserving a country's native languages. The emergence of multilingual education has led to a proliferation of research that shows the benefits of using a learner's first language. These issues have led the authors to investigate the different language-in-education policies of Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda, and how they establish students' first languages as a medium of instruction. This paper examined 30 research articles with the goal of providing an in-depth understanding of each country's policies and implementation practices. The study also explored the different challenges and pedagogical implications of these policies to better understand emerging issues and insights. An identified issue is the devaluation of one's first language due to people's negative perspectives and poor policy planning. It was also not surprising that most of these developing communities understand the importance of English as a language of globalization. Thus, emphasizing the importance of establishing one's first language and strengthening the use of the English language in educational systems are two important considerations for policy planning.