International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: Despite multilingual policies in higher education, Indigenous African languages remain marginalised because of institutional barriers, limited resources, and the dominance of English. Although existing studies have examined challenges in developing and using Indigenous African languages in higher education, limited attention has been given to lecturers’ perspectives on teaching Sesotho Home Language content and didactics modules. Understanding these perspectives is important because lecturers play a central role in preparing student teachers to teach Sesotho as a Home Language. Objectives: This study explored university lecturers’ perspectives on teaching Sesotho Home Language content and didactics modules.
Method: Guided by Sociocultural Theory, the study adopted a qualitative case study design involving four purposively selected lecturers who taught Sesotho Home Language content and didactics modules at a selected university in South Africa. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) institutional and curriculum constraints on pedagogical practice; (2) English dominance and language ideologies in higher education; and (3) limited culturally relevant resources and pedagogical preparation. These challenges constrained lecturers’ ability to integrate Sesotho content knowledge with pedagogical practice and implement multilingual and decolonial approaches.
Conclusion: The findings show that institutional, linguistic, and pedagogical conditions shape the teaching of Sesotho Home Language content and didactics. Although lecturers recognise the importance of effective Sesotho teacher preparation, English dominance, curriculum challenges, and limited resources constrain their practices. Strengthening Sesotho Home Language teacher education therefore requires institutional support and recognition of Indigenous languages as important sites of knowledge production and teacher preparation.
Unique Contribution: The study foregrounds lecturers’ experiences and contributes to debates on decolonising higher education and advancing epistemic justice through Indigenous language education. Key Recommendations: Greater collaboration among lecturers, improved access to relevant teaching and learning resources, and continuous professional development are needed to strengthen the integration of Sesotho content knowledge, pedagogical practice, and contextually appropriate multilingual approaches.