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<h1 class="">African languages to be compulsory for all pupils</h1>
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June 12 2013 at 01:55pm <br>
By Michelle Jones
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<p class="">Cape Town - An African language - including
Afrikaans - will be compulsory for all pupils until matric, according to
a new policy which could be implemented at all schools from as early as
next year. </p>
<p class="">The plan, which will be implemented incrementally until 2025, will see all pupils learning three languages. </p>
<p class="">For the first time, Afrikaans has been included
as an African language. Previously the Department of Basic Education
referred to African languages, English and Afrikaans. </p>
<p class="">The portfolio committees on basic education and
higher education and training held a joint meeting on Tuesday in
Parliament about the draft policy, which planned to make it compulsory
for Grade R and Grade 1 pupils to learn a third, African language. </p>
<p class="">Pupils are currently required to learn two languages - their home language and an additional language. </p>
<p class="">Mathanzima Mweli, acting deputy
director-general for curriculum, policy, monitoring and support, said,
“The major change is that African languages will be offered at all
schools offering Grade R and Grade 1.” </p>
<p class="">He attributed this to the “changing profile of learner population” at schools. </p>
<p class="">Mweli said the African language, which would
include Xitsonga, any Nguni language, a Sotho language, Tshivenda or
Afrikaans, would have to be learned at a first additional language
level. </p>
<p class=""> </p>
<p class="">Mweli said members of the public would be called to comment on the draft policy in a month’s time. </p>
<p class="">Addressing concerns that there would not be
sufficient teachers, Mweli said audits of teachers had been conducted in
all provinces. </p>
<p class="">“We have the teachers to implement this policy.” </p>
<p class="">He said there was concern about whether there
would be sufficient teachers as the policy was upscaled to Grade 12, but
engagements were taking place with the Higher Education and Training
Department to ensure teachers were trained. </p>
<p class="">Mweli also said they realised additional time
would have to be added to the school day and were discussing this with
the education labour relations council. </p>
<p class="">The portfolio committees welcomed the plan by
the Department of Basic Education to incrementally implement the use of
African languages in all South African schools. </p>
<p class="">Basic education committee chairwoman Hope Malgas expressed appreciation that the “long overdue” step had finally been taken. </p>
<p class="">The committee on Tuesday expressed reservations
about whether Afrikaans would not dominate the choice as a first
additional language. </p>
<p class="">It had also expressed concerns about the department’s readiness to implement the programme by next year. </p>
<p class="">Malgas said the committee would monitor the
department’s progress on the plan, and that the department would have to
come back later in the year to give an update on its readiness. </p>
<p class="">The higher education and training committee
chairman, Ishmael Malale, expressed his appreciation that this would be
done to improve the state of education and to elevate indigenous
languages in South Africa. </p>
<p class="">The Cape Times reported last month that primary
school pupils in Grade R and Grade 1 would have to learn an African
language as a first additional language. </p>
<p class="">Reasons given were to “promote multilingualism” and foster “social cohesion”. </p>
<p class="">Educationists had raised concerns including
fitting an additional language into the school timetable and the
availability of trained teachers. </p>
<p class="">The department said it would prepare for
“full-scale implementation” by phasing in the policy at selected schools
in each of the provinces this year. </p>
<p class=""><a href="mailto:michelle.jones@inl.co.za">michelle.jones@inl.co.za</a> <br></p><p class=""><a href="http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/african-languages-to-be-compulsory-for-all-pupils-1.1531279#.UbnNntjAETA">http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/african-languages-to-be-compulsory-for-all-pupils-1.1531279#.UbnNntjAETA</a><br>
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