New textbook seeks to preserve Ndebele language and culture

A Ndebele language textbook written by Gwanda North-born author Ndabezinhle Ndlovu has been approved for use in Zimbabwean schools as a supplementary reader. The book,uMphako wabafundi, was assessed and approved by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s Curriculum Development Unit in 2025. It was officially launched on Saturday at the FOG Auditorium in Bulawayo.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Ndlovu said his passion for writing began during his primary school years at Sibona Primary School in Gwanda North, where he studied between 1973 and 1981. “I started writing when I was at school. I had a passion for writing Ndebele and English compositions and was often among the best in essay writing,” he said.

He said he continued developing his writing skills in the 1990s by participating in the radio programmeAbalobi Bakusasaon Radio 4, where several of his stories were broadcast. He also contributed to local newspapers, includingThe Sunday NewsandThe Chronicle. Although he began working on a book as early as 1986, it was not published.

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He said he only found the time to focus seriously on writing larger works in 2019. His first published novel,Kanti ukuzala kunje, was released in 2024. At the same time, he was working onuMphako wabafundi, which has now been approved for use in schools.

Ndlovu said he was motivated to write the textbook after noticing that some learners were struggling with the Ndebele language and increasingly relying on borrowed terms from other languages. “I wanted to use rich Ndebele literature to produce something that could help learners improve their understanding and use of the language,” he said. He described the writing process as lengthy and demanding, taking three years to complete.

The manuscript underwent several rounds of editing and proofreading before being submitted to the Curriculum Development Unit in Harare. He said he was informed in February that the book had been approved. The textbook includes stories designed to improve comprehension and writing skills, as well as a chapter focusing on cultural traditions. Ndlovu said he hoped the book would help preserve and strengthen the Ndebele language among young people.

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