Maintaining the primordial language policy that is dominated by english and afrikaans is like putting new wine into old skins. Multilingualism and the language curriculum in south. On one level, there are tensions between its two official language groups, afrikaans and english. Languages iial in south african schools 20 policy and its impact on the teaching and learning of sals. Draft policy on the incremental introduction of african languages in south african schools in september 20, the national department of basic education released. Various, and often divergent, language policies were introduced by the portuguese, french, spanish and british colonial powers. National policy for the provision and management of learning and teaching. This followed the decision of cabinet in 1999 to prioritise the development of a language framework for higher education. Education labour relations council elrc policy handbook for educators. Mkhize and balfour language rights in education in south africa. Multilingualism in south africa university of kwazulunatal. Section 6 of the constitution sets out specific measures to promote the official languages of south africa, against the. The basic question an evaluation of language policy development in south africa thus has to answer is how the country has set out to achieve these ideals. Constitution of the republic of south africa, 1996 section 61 which afforded the official status to all 11 languages, namely.
Thus, the research also seeks to establish strategies that could be implemented in order to ensure the revitalisation and rejuvenation of african languages so that all the languages take their rightful place. B 1987, language policy in african education in south africa, 191085, with particular reference to the issue of medium of instruction, in d. Tshivenda, sesotho, siswati, isixhosa, isindebele, sepedi, setswana, afrikaans, xitsonga, isizulu and english. Recent developments in language planning, policy and implementation in south africa have led to a view that language policy is a text that is in a constant state of productivity, and it is always. Executive summary since the attainment of democracy in south africa in 1994, a number of legislative policy documents and frameworks on what should guide language practices in higher education. It recognised 11 official languages and stated that practical and positive. Definitions act the use of official languages act, 2012 act no. In the past, the richness of our linguistic diversity was used as an instrument of control, oppression and exploitation. Language policy and education in multilingual south africa. The inherited languagein education policy in south africa has been fraught with tensions. There was no allowance made for the possible influences of different interlocutors in the home. Language policies and practices in tanzania and south.
The south african constitution upholds the right of all children to receive education in the official language or languages of their choice and the national language in education policy. I sincerely trust that all south africans will embrace this national language policy framework as their. Ndebele, northern sotho, sotho, siswati, tsonga, tswana, venda, xhosa, zulu and afrikaans. Without detracting from the provisions of subsection. A number of these discriminatory policies have affected either the access of the learners to the education system or their success within it. In july 2001, the council submitted its advice to the minister in a report entitled language policy framework for south african higher education. The new language in education policy is conceived of as an integral and. Language planning, policy and implementation in south africa. The eleventh official language is south african english. This document is the language policy of st andrews school, as approved by the school governing body in july 2006 and adapted thereafter.
As we shall see in the next chapter, their idea of a nation is based on the experience of certain european peoples in the 18th and l9th centuries. The impact of language policy and practice on childrens learning argues that improved evidence, networking, south to south learning and advocacy are going to be crucial to create a focus on mothertongue education environments. The report provides a critical evidence base for responding to the changing development context. National language policy framework department of arts and culture.
Mda, university of south africa this article argues that, to be truly understood, south africa s new language in education policy liep must be examined in the context of both historical and recent developments. What happens in south african schools is that children usually learn. An international language like french or english, a vestige of colonialism, carries prestige, is used in higher education, and promises mobilityand yet it will not be well known by its users. Section 6 of the constitution of the republic of south africa, 1996, provides the backdrop to this policy and lists the official languages of south africa to be sepedi, sesotho, setswana, siswati, tshivenda, xitsonga, afrikaans, english, isindebele, isixhosa and. A host of other relevant data, such as data on reported proficiency and dominance in the various languages, has never been collected at all. While a good idea in theory, the language policy and situation in. South africa is a multilingual society that has some unique linguistic problems because of its policy of apartheid. The inherited languageineducation policy in south africa has been fraught with tensions.
Legislation and policies education in south africa is governed by the following key policies and legislation. It generally appears that the official language of a country is the one in which the laws of the country are made and publicised, whereas the national language is. It also serves as a foundation for the draft policy on the incremental introduction of african languages in south african schools. Language policy and national unity in south africaazania.
South african language policy after majority rule the constitution of the new south africa was adopted in 1996 and section 6 of chapter 1 founding provisions laid down the principles of policy as to language. In this project the language policies of tanzania and south africa, as well as the practices of these policies in the classroom are. The impact of language policy and practice on childrens. Language policy and planning in south africa annual. One of the perennial issues that arises when discussing south african education is our complex language policy. Pdf language policies and practices in tanzania and. Language policies in african education bowdoin college. Mother tongue debate and language policy in south africa. Pan south african language board means the board established in terms of 30 section 2.
This is the language to be used for teaching and learning in the school i. The essays inlanguages in africaexplore the layers of african multilingualism as they affect language policy and education. Joseph kinsella the development of contemporary language policy in south africa. Academic involvement in language policy and planning in south africa must be seen within the context of the countrys sociolinguistic complexity and the relationship between language and a number of serious problems in the country. Pdf language policy implementation in south african universities.
On another level, there are linguistic tensions between the ethnic europeans and the black majority, mostly in regard to language instruction in schools. South african school education system for the 21st century. South african education may not work for the benefit of all native speakers of its multiple. Gauteng schools will be spearheading a new language policy in 2017 that will make it compulsory for all grade 1 pupils to take an african language as a second additional language subject.
The inherited languageineducation policy in south africa has been fraught with tensions, contradictions and sensitivities, and underpinned by racial and linguistic discrimination. In the postapartheid era, south africa has adopted a language policy that gives official status to 11 languages english, afrikaans, and nine bantu languages. The uj language policy is informed by the constitution of the republic of south africa act act 108 of 1996, the higher education act act 101 of 1997, the language policy for higher education 2003, the use of official languages act, 2012 act 12 of 2012, the. Language in education policy department of basic education. Language policy and national unity in south africa azania. Basic education rights handbook education rights in. At least thirtyfive languages indigenous to south africa are spoken in the republic, ten of which are official languages of south africa. Language policy and education in south africa springerlink.
Introduction because of the multilingual character of most colonially defined states in africa and elsewhere and because of the intuitive policies of imperialist powers, the languages of europe, specifically. National language policy framework 2003 diversity and to the challenges of constitutional multilingualism, hence the introduction of this national language policy framework. The authors of the present article are engaged in a research project funded by the norwegian research council. Pdf after the demise of apartheid in 1994, south africa adopted a new constitution that bolstered the image of indigenous african languages through a. The language situation in africa today was a government primary school which had swahili medium upto the fourth grade.
South african language policy, indigenous languages, isixhosa, medium of instruction, multilingualism. How language policy can improve student performance. However, our languages have not always been working together. The inherited language ineducation policy in south africa has been fraught with tensions, contradictions and sensitivities, and underpinned by racial and linguistic discrimination. Apartheid where english and afrikaans were given a higher status at the expense of other languages and also to. In order to respond to this question, two language policy development documents need to be considered. For those who arent from south africa, we have 11 official languages afrikaans, english, isindebele, isixhosa, isizulu, sesotho sa leboa, sesotho, setswana, siswati, tshivenda, and xitsonga. Issues in the making of south africa s language in education policy thobeka v.
After 30 years of seemingly immutable, topdown language policy in education in south africa, the early 1990s and the dismantling of apartheid have brought. Draft language policy for statistics south africa 2016. National language policy framework final draft south. Fassets language policy adheres to the requirement of the use of official languages act, no. Language policies and practices in tanzania and south africa. The language policy for stats sa is based on the following constitutional and legislative provisions. Language policy and oppression in south africa cultural. Problems and challenges 1 birgit brockutne and halla b. Introduction this paper is on mothertongue education and the south african sa language policy which was introduced after 1994 when south africa became a democratic country. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree. Language of instruction policy and practice in africa. There was also the case of south africa, where the ruling afrikaaner nationalist party enforced a language policy that was aimed at developing their language as the lingua franca, language of. Compulsory african language policy for schools in 2017. The research project takes a hard look into the attitudes or perceptions of speakers of african languages towards the new language policy of south africa.
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