The dilemmas and complexities of implementing language-in-education policies: Perspectives from urban and rural contexts in Uganda

• Comparative rural–urban analysis of Uganda's language-in-education policy.
• Local language as LOI contributes to student literacy and participation.
• Policy constrains rural students’ transition to upper and post-primary levels.
• Limitations of policy in teaching methodologies for multilingual environments.
• Misconceptions of language-in-education in policy development and school practices.

Language-in-education policies are a highly debated topic in Africa and at the root of understanding inequalities in Africa's education systems. This article explores the implementation of Uganda's recent local language education policy; how it has been received and practiced in urban and rural contexts, and the major challenges and implications addressed by education stakeholders in each context. The study confirms that the use of local languages as the language of instruction has contributed to the improvement of literacy skills, children's participation in lessons, and their understanding of content. Nevertheless, the local language policy was fiercely disputed by teachers, parents and various authorities at district and national levels, as many appeared to be concerned with the policy constraining children's academic success at upper primary levels and limiting their transition to secondary education. Through the study, the authors highlight critical misconceptions and assumptions in language-in-education within both policy development and in local education practices and perceptions. The article points to a review of language-in-education in its entirety; across mediums of instruction and assessment for lower and upper primary levels; across teaching methodologies for second language acquisition in multilingual environments; and across socio-economic divides in rural and urban regions of the country.