<div dir="ltr"><h2 class="gmail-headline">Language war hots up at universities</h2>
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SIPHO MABENA and SHENAAZ JAMAL | 28 July, 2016 06:44</div>
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The fight to keep Afrikaans as a language of instruction at
universities is hotting up, with the Higher Education Network vowing to
join court cases over the issue as friends of the court.</h3>
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<p>AfriForum approached the Pretoria High Court yesterday to stop Unisa from changing its language policy.</p><p>Despite
losing the urgent application, the Afrikaans interest group will
continue to fight the distance-learning university's plan to become an
English-only institution.</p><p>Judge Nomsa Khumalo struck the urgent
application off the roll yesterday, saying AfriForum had failed to make a
case for urgency.</p><p>Though disappointed by the judgment,
AfriForum's Werner Human said the outcome spurred them to expedite their
review application.</p><p>"We are going to exercise all processes,
including approaching the judge president, to have the review
application heard expeditiously as part of our accelerated plan," he
said.</p><p>But Higher Education and Transformation Network spokesman
Hendrick Makaneta said AfriForum's case against Unisa and an earlier one
involving the University of the Free State must be challenged
vigorously, because AfriForum was using the courts in an attempt to
co-govern the university.</p><p>"This is going to have a bearing on
other universities trying to transform and change the medium of
instruction to make the universities inclusive," he said.</p><p>"We are
not saying we want to kill the Afrikaans language, but other languages
also should be given a fair opportunity to develop and thrive in
academia," said Makaneta.</p><p>AfriForum obtained a high court order
setting aside the University of the Free State's decision to abolish
Afrikaans as a medium of instruction on all levels.</p><p>The university will appeal the decision.</p><p>"This is a matter that will set back universities in terms of transformation in higher education.</p><p>"We
are speaking to the University of the Free State and will be applying
as friends of the court in this matter," said Makaneta.</p><p><a href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2016/07/28/Language-war-hots-up-at-universities">http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2016/07/28/Language-war-hots-up-at-universities</a><br></p><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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