This synopsis report was prepared under the auspices of the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Working Group on Educational Research and Policy Analysis (WGER&PA), in collaboration with the ADEA Secretariat. The research reviews on which the report is based were commissioned after African Ministers of Education expressed a need for an exploration of languages of instruction in the African context, particularly the use of mother tongues and national languages for instruction and learning. The Ministers of Education also indicated an interest in lessons that could be drawn from other countries' experiences in implementing national language policies.