Ministry of Education Arts and Culture's Executive Director, Sanet Steenkamp says that multi-lingual education enhances the quality of education in the country.

Steenkamp said this as Namibia joins the rest of the world in celebrating international mother language day.

It was 71 years ago that four young students were killed in Bangladesh during a protest on language controversy that birthed the celebration of International day.

Not far from home, 47 years ago in Soweto, South Africa, was the scene of a massive uprising known as the 'Soweto Uprising.'

Multitudes of students revolted against the apartheid government's insistence that the Afrikaans language is used as the medium of instruction in all high schools. 

Hundreds of lives were lost - because of their stance that their mother tongue is embraced.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has since introduced International mother language day, stating that education in the mother tongue is a key factor for inclusion and quality learning.

Namibia offers some of its many indigenous languages in schools, giving learners the opportunity to study their languages from pre-grade up to the AS level.

And ED Sanet Steenkamp says that Namibia's focus is that education takes place in a multi-lingual context.

Over 7000 languages are spoken across the globe, with 13 of those being in Namibia and Steenkamp says it is vital to safeguard and preserve them.