<div dir="ltr"><h2>English to become primary language at Stellenbosch University</h2>
<div class="">by <a href="http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/staffprofiles/2012/08/02/bekezela-phakathi-profile">Bekezela Phakathi</a>, 13 November 2015, 11:31</div><div style="vertical-align:top;height:40px">
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<img src="http://www.bdlive.co.za/incoming/2015/10/29/stellenbosch-fees-protest/ALTERNATES/crop_400x250/Stellenbosch+fees+protest" alt="October 23: Students from Stellenbosch University protest against fee hikes, through the centre of town. Picture:AFP/ RODGER BOSCH" height="250px" width="400px">
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October 23: Students from Stellenbosch University
protest against fee hikes, through the centre of town. Picture:AFP/
RODGER BOSCH</div>
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<div class=""><p>STELLENBOSCH University looks set to become a
fully fledged English medium university as from next year after
management agreed to table the amended language policy before council
later in November.</p><p>A statement released on Thursday evening by the
rector’s management team said the primary language of communication and
administration at Stellenbosch University would be English since it was
the common language in SA.</p><p>All learning at Stellenbosch
University would be facilitated in English, and substantial academic
support would be provided in other South African languages, according to
students’ needs. In residences and other living environments, students
should use English as the common language in house meetings and other
official functions, the management team said.</p><p>The university has
been accused of marginalising non-Afrikaans speaking students, amid
mounting pressure for it to change its policy to allow instruction in
English.</p><p>The council, which has oversight responsibilities over
academic and operational issues, has indicated that it supports the new
language policy. Student pressure group Open Stellenbosch has been
protesting against the university’s language policy for the better part
of the year arguing that it "safeguards Afrikaner culture" and excludes
most black students.</p><p>In September, the university’s language task
team recommended that Afrikaans and English should have equal status as
mediums of teaching.</p><p>But the statement from the rector’s management team said English should be the main language of instruction.</p><p>"The
primary language of communication and administration at Stellenbosch
University will be English, with Afrikaans and isiXhosa as additional
languages. The additional languages may not be used to exclude anyone
from full participation at the University. This implies that all
communication at Stellenbosch University will be in at least English,
including meetings, official documents ,and services at reception desks
and the call centre," the statement read.</p><p>Open Stellenbosch said
on Friday that the new language policy was a "significant victory in
this struggle for access to education and for social justice in this
country".</p><p>"It is also the first step to undoing the cultural
monolith that is Stellenbosch, with its excess baggage from apartheid.
The university ... continues to attract historically privileged members
of society, in a postapartheid context, and has remained complicit with
structures that perpetuate injustice and racial discord.</p><p>"Although
we note with great concern how the rector, his management team as well
as council have been uncooperative with respect to transformation and
addressing the continuing hegemony of Afrikaner culture, we nevertheless
acknowledge and commend the ultimate gestures that led to this
agreement," Open Stellenbosch said in a statement.</p><p><a href="http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/education/2015/11/13/english-to-become-primary-language-at-stellenbosch-university">http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/education/2015/11/13/english-to-become-primary-language-at-stellenbosch-university</a><br></p></div><br clear="all"><br>-- <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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