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English is the official language of Botswana, while Setswana is the most widely spoken language in the country. Several other minority languages, especially Bantu languages, are also spoken in Botswana.

Official Language of Botswana

The official language of Botswana is English which is influenced by Britain from 1885-1966. English serves as the official language of Botswana. The language is widely used for written communication and is also the language of business, administration, and education. Most of the residents of the country have a working knowledge of English.

Although English is the official language of Botswana, many of the population speak it as a second language. Setswana, or Tswana, is spoken by roughly 77% of the population but many people will also understand English. The Tswana ethnic group makes up 79% of the country's population,

2.8% of citizens speak English as their first language, and a small number of residents also speak Afrikaans. Botswana is also home to native and tribal languages. Over 90% of the population draws from the Bantu family of dialects for their native language.

Setswana: The Most Popularly Spoken Language in Botswana

The Setswana language, also known as Tswana, is spoken widely in Botswana and other parts of Southern Africa. The Bantu language is a member of the Niger-Congo language family. Tswana serves as the lingua franca in Botswana. It is spoken by most of the population of the nation. However, since most written communication in the country is in English, Tswana is mainly used as a spoken language.

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In education

English was merely "indirectly declared the official language through the constitution" (ibid, emphasis mine). Despite the lack of formal promotion, English remains in education.

However, Setswana, as described above, holds a powerful place in language planning initiatives. Of the 29 languages spoken in Botswana, Setswana is the medium of instruction for the first two years of primary education. Since children are the third grade in primary education,  the language of instruction switches to English. English is used for the remainder of a child's schooling. Setswana is also taught as a separate subject throughout a child's schooling (including the two years for which it is the medium of instruction). Only English and Setswana are permitted in the school system.