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<h1 class="">Don’t divide our children</h1>
<span id="spnDate" class="">2015-05-31 15:00</span>
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<p class="">Panyaza Lesufi, City Press</p>
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<img id="image" title="The right to an education is one of the most fundamental rights and no one should use language to exclude any pupil from school" src="http://cdn.24.co.za/files/Cms/General/d/610/117cd63fa698457dbc5cf0bc2cfe1de1.jpg" alt="The right to an education is one of the most fundamental rights and no one should use language to exclude any pupil from school">
<p class="">The right to an education is one of the most
fundamental rights and no one should use language to exclude any pupil
from school (Leanne Stander)</p>
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<div class=""><h5 id="Relatedheader" class="">Related Links</h5></div>
<ul><li class=""><a href="http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Dept-will-pursue-dual-language-school-case-Lesufi-20150527">Dept will pursue dual language school case - Lesufi</a></li><li class=""><a href="http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Lesufi-Afrikaans-schools-use-language-to-create-enclaves-20150527">Lesufi: Afrikaans schools use language to create ‘enclaves’</a></li><li class=""><a href="http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Court-to-hear-dual-language-education-bid-20150526">Court to hear dual language education bid</a></li></ul>
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<p>I frequently get abuse from people who take the
Gauteng education department’s emerging policies out of context.</p><p>They think that just because I am a member of
the governing ANC, I make one-sided policy adjustments.</p><p>Nothing could be further from the truth.</p><p>What happened in court this week is an example of how a section of
our community, in this case the Federation of Governing Bodies of SA Schools, is
resisting cultural assimilation, social integration and cohesion.</p><p>A bit of background may help to create context. As part of the
reorganisation of our school systems, the department conducted a study of
underutilised schools to enrol pupils who cannot find space in schools of their
choice, particularly near their homes.</p><p>As a result of the study, we are reconfiguring our admission
policies to prioritise access to education and advocate dual-medium schools, as
opposed to internal admission and language policies.</p><p>This week the federation petitioned the courts to rule that
schools’ admission and language policies should be taken into account. The body
also asked the courts to find that the department could not force schools to
become dual medium as it would violate language policies.</p><p>It is a pity that the court has ruled in the federation’s favour.
The department is of the view that the case brought by the federation is flawed
and motivated by concerns that do not accord with our Constitution or the
regulatory framework governing education, particularly access to education in
our new democracy.</p><p>The department is of the view that the learned judge erred in his
judgment. I am prepared to go all the way to the Constitutional Court to force
such schools to become dual medium, so predominantly Afrikaans schools use two
languages to accommodate other pupils.</p><p>This not only helps to use school infrastructure, but promotes
cultural assimilation, social integration and cohesion.</p><p>No child should be denied access to education because of their
language. No school shall exclude any learner based on their language. The right
to education is one of the most fundamental rights and no one will use language
to exclude any pupil from school.</p>The federation and its supporters are resisting cultural
assimilation, social integration and cohesion, which our country desperately
needs to build a nonracial society.<br><p>Let me concentrate a bit on cultural assimilation.</p><p>Firstly, what does it mean to assimilate into a nonracial,
nonsexist culture? For me, assimilate means striving in word and deed to be
similar.</p><p>So, to assimilate means to make yourself similar to the people who
are already living in a certain place, whether in Soweto, Sandton, Bedfordview,
Katlehong, Midrand or Ivory Park.</p><p>Assimilation does not mean to be exactly like the people already
there; it means to make yourself similar. It means appreciating and
participating in the customs and cultures of the country we live in – a
democratic and nonracial South Africa.</p><p>Assimilating to a community or culture does not mean that one
cannot continue to appreciate and enjoy his or her own cultural and language
background, as the federation wants.</p><p>To provide a personal example, my family and I are completely
assimilated into the culture of the suburb where we live, but we still enjoy and
primarily live within the Pedi culture.</p><p>These two things are not in conflict with one another. In fact,
they make life richer and more rewarding. I can easily move within both
cultures.</p><p>I believe we should all be bicultural and multilingual, and Gauteng
schools should be dual medium. If we can achieve that, it beats the heck out of
being monocultural and monolingual.</p><p>Remember that assimilation and social cohesion is a process, not an
immediate event. We must be patient.</p><p>I’ll say it again: We must be patient.</p><p>It is not reasonable to expect that we will all assimilate
immediately. This lack of patience is where most of us get into trouble –
resulting, for example, even in a court case.</p><p>Assimilation takes time, my friends. Let’s stay calm and let’s stay
realistic. Let’s also remember that assimilating into a culture does not mean we
have to throw away our cultures. It simply serves as the backdrop for the fabric
of our lives and democratic society. This background gives grace and colour to
our existence.</p>After all, how many of you would really be happy without your
favourite cultural meals, such as koeksisters, mngqusho, morogo, magwenya or
home-brewed beer?<br><p>We are blessed in this country to have 11 official languages. It
brings flavour to our society. It will accelerate social integration and
cohesion – and, ultimately, cultural assimilation.</p><p>As the famous 1970s song so correctly points out: “One is the
loneliest number.”</p><p>I think it makes good sense to open up the rest of our
schools.</p><em>Lesufi is MEC for education in Gauteng<br><br><a href="http://www.news24.com/Opinions/Dont-divide-our-children-20150530">http://www.news24.com/Opinions/Dont-divide-our-children-20150530</a><br></em>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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