<div dir="ltr"><h1>Compulsory African language policy for schools in 2017</h1>
<div class=""><span class="">By <a href="http://businesstech.co.za/news/author/staff-writer/" title="Posts by Staff Writer" rel="author">Staff Writer</a></span><span class="">June 15, 2016</span><span class=""><a href="http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/126997/compulsory-african-language-policy-for-schools-in-2017/#disqus_thread">62 Comments</a></span></div>
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<p>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, according to a
report by <a href="http://www.thenewage.co.za/new-language-policy-2017/">The New Age</a>.</p>
<p>Afrikaans would still form part of the languages available, the
report said, but as there are now three language subjects, other African
languages beyond English and Afrikaans must be taken.</p>
<p>According to the Gauteng education department, the policy, called the <a href="http://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/IIAL%20Policy%20September%202013.pdf?ver=2014-04-09-162048-000">Incremental Introduction of the African Languages</a>
(IIAL), is still being finalised, but will ultimately help pupils in
basic education have a more positive attitude towards school.</p>
<p>In 2017, the policy will be trialed at 12 schools in Gauteng, where
16 teachers have been allocated. Once the trial is over, a budget will
be made available for a full roll-out, the New Age reported.</p>
<p>Under the IIAL, from grade 1 to grade 3, pupils will now have five compulsory subjects:</p>
<ol><li>Home language</li><li>First additional language</li><li>Second additional language</li><li>Mathematics</li><li>Life skills</li></ol>
<p>These subjects will be carried through to grade 12 (with Life Skills becoming Life Orientation from grade 7, onwards).</p>
<p>In grades 1-9, learners must pass the third required official
language at first additional language level at achievement level 3
(40-49%).</p>
<p>In the FET Phase, the third required official language must be passed
at level 2 (30-39%) provided that the official language at home
language level has been passed at level 3 (40-49%), the department said.</p>
<p>It has been proposed that an additional 2 hours of instruction time
per week be added to pupils in grade 1 and 2 to make room for the new
languages – and additional 3 hours for grade 3.</p>
<p>For the intermediate and senior phases, an additional 5 hours per
week should be added, taking the average school day up from 5.5 hours a
day to 6.5 hours a day.</p>
<p>One of the biggest criticisms and challenges faced by the second
additional language policy is the lack of skilled teachers available to
take on all of South Africa’s official languages.</p>
<p>Aside from localising classes (teaching the dominant additional
language of the area), the department also proposed two other solutions:</p>
<p>In a cosmopolitan area wherein all languages are found, schools may
be designated to offer specific languages. There would be dominant
languages side to side with minority languages.</p>
<p>In instances where there are very few learners for particular
languages scattered across a phase, the multi-grade model can be ideal.
Learners from different grades can be brought into one class and taught
by one teacher.</p>
<h3>More on language</h3>
<p><strong><a title="Permalink to Dysfunctional education system is apartheid’s fault: Education MEC" href="http://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/125459/dysfunctional-education-system-is-apartheids-fault-education-mec/" rel="bookmark">Dysfunctional education system is apartheid’s fault: Education MEC</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a title="Permalink to Stellenbosch University ordered to teach in Afrikaans" href="http://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/116402/stellenbosch-university-ordered-to-teach-in-afrikaans/" rel="bookmark">Stellenbosch University ordered to teach in Afrikaans</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a title="Permalink to These are the most spoken languages in South Africa" href="http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/104497/the-most-spoken-languages-in-south-africa/" rel="bookmark">These are the most spoken languages in South Africa</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/126997/compulsory-african-language-policy-for-schools-in-2017/">http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/126997/compulsory-african-language-policy-for-schools-in-2017/</a><br><strong></strong></p><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="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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