Occupation-Related Attitudes towards English in the City of Kigali

Abstract

The present study investigates the association between Kigali residents’ attitudes towards English and their occupations nearly three decades after English became an official language and sixteen years after its adoption as the sole medium of instruction. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 252 respondents drawn from six occupational groups, namely; teachers, civil servants, traders, journalists, Catholic priests, and Muslim leaders. Furthermore, qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured and were used to explain the quantitative scores of each attitudinal statement.  Descriptive statistics and the chi-square test of independence were used to analyse the data. The results revealed significant occupational differences in attitudes towards English. To illustrate, teachers recorded the highest proportion of favourable responses, with 241 of their 360 responses (67.0%) being positive. In contrast, traders registered the lowest proportion of favourable responses, with only 129 of their 440 responses (29.3%) classified as positive. The chi-square analysis (χ² = 230.39, df = 10, p < .01) indicated an association between occupational category and attitudes towards English.  The findings suggest that English is valued primarily for its instrumental benefits in employment, technology, business, and national development, although attitudes towards its educational, administrative, and social functions remain mixed. The study recommends occupation-sensitive English language planning and training, particularly for occupational groups whose responses reveal greater practical or attitudinal challenges.