Education Language Policy and Its Implementation: the Mother Tongue and English Use in Wolayta Soddo Primary Schools

The main objective of this study is to to find out the implementation of the current education language policy in primary schools of Wolayta Soddo. Currenty, primary education ranges from grade 1-8 and has two cycles ( first cycle (grade 1-4) and second cycle (grade 5-8)). This study comprises both the first and the second cycles. The study compares the consistancy of the policy and classroom language use and asseses the atitude of stakeholders. Classroom language use at the first cycle is consistent to the policy whereas at the second cycle not. Regarding stakeholders attitude, except first cycle teachers, students in both cycles, second cycle teachers, parents and education officials understood the use of Wolaytato (the mother tongue of the Wolayta people) as the medium of instruction in a wrong way. As a result they have developed negative attitude towards learning in Wolaytato beyond the first cycle. They prefer English to Wolaytato as the best medium of instruction for success in education. However the students? achievement is not as good as those students who learn in their mother tongue in the whole primary education.