<div dir="ltr"><header><h1>‘Restore status of languages’</h1><p class="gmail-meta"><a href="https://www.iol.co.za/thepost">The Post</a><span> / </span><span>5 October 2017, 4:30pm</span><span> / </span><span><strong>Yogin Devan</strong></span></p><div><div class="gmail-social-icons"><ul><li><br></li><li><br></li><li><br></li><li><br></li></ul></div></div></header><figure><div class="gmail-sixteen-nine"><img class="gmail-imgLandScape" src="https://image.iol.co.za/image/1/process/620x349?source=https://inm-baobab-prod-eu-west-1.s3.amazonaws.com/public/inm/media/image/98304051.JPG" alt="" title="At the annual reunion of pioneer residents of Chatsworth were retired teachers Daliah Naidoo, left, and Maureen Chellan, right. With them from second left are guest speaker Dr Arumugam Pillay, chairman of the Chatsworth Vernacular School Institute, Dr Sid Reddy, and Chatsworth philanthropist who was honoured, MN Reddy.Picture: BONGANI MBATHA"></div><figcaption><span class="gmail-imageCaption">At
the annual reunion of pioneer residents of Chatsworth were retired
teachers Daliah Naidoo, left, and Maureen Chellan, right. With them from
second left are guest speaker Dr Arumugam Pillay, chairman of the
Chatsworth Vernacular School Institute, Dr Sid Reddy, and Chatsworth
philanthropist who was honoured, MN Reddy.Picture: BONGANI MBATHA</span></figcaption></figure><p>Durban
- There is a need for leaders within the community to join forces and
convince the education authorities about the need to restore the status
of Indian languages in the school curriculum.</p>
<p>Indian languages must be taught during normal school hours, instead of after school.</p>
<p>This was the gist of the address by Dr Arumugam "AM" Pillay, the
guest speaker at the annual reunion of pioneer residents of Chatsworth
and their descendants hosted by the Chatsworth Vernacular School
Institute on Sunday. </p>
<p>Pillay stressed that Indian languages needed to be spoken to keep them alive.</p>
<p>The institute was formed in 1938 by a group of Chatsworth banana and
vegetable farmers to run classes in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Urdu, and
it is concerned there is minimal teaching of Indian languages taking
place.</p>
<p>Pillay, a retired subject adviser in Indian languages with the
Department of Education, said when the former House of Delegates carried
out a survey, 91% of parents were in favour of Indian languages being
offered in schools. </p>
<p>Thus 8000 pupils enrolled to study Indian languages when they were first offered in 1984.</p>
<p>“By 1996, the enrolment for Indian languages increased to 63000
learners - with 3000 taking Gujarati, 5000 Telugu, 15000 Urdu, 19000
Hindi and 21000 opting to study Tamil. </p>
<p>It was smooth sailing and Indian languages flourished until drastic changes occurred,” said Pillay.</p>
<p>Strictures in the form of Outcomes Based Education, the National
Curriculum Statement and, more recently, the Curriculum Assessment
Policy Statement (CAPS) dealt a cruel blow to the continued existence of
Indian languages in the curriculum.</p>
<p>Pillay said these policies did not allow inclusion of Indian languages in the syllabus, thus relegating their status.</p>
<p>With the introduction of CAPS, every subject in each grade has a
single, comprehensive and concise policy document that provides details
on what teachers need to teach and assess on a grade-by-grade and
subject-by-subject basis.</p>
<p>Pillay said Indian languages were not catered for under CAPS.</p>
<p>“Sadly, and badly, the register for Indian languages now reflects an
estimated 19500 learners. Also a major factor in the reduction of
numbers is the expulsion of Indian languages from being taught during
normal school time to after-school hours,” he said, adding without the
study of mother tongue languages, the understanding and appreciation of
great literary works would be lost to future generations.</p>
<p>“It is disturbing and disheartening that at the end of 2016, only 177 learners sat for the matric exams in Indian languages.”</p>
<p>On the question of keeping Indian languages alive, Pillay said
minority language maintenance was a non-starter if there was no speaking
in the mother tongue.</p>
<p>“A language becomes extinct if it is not used for ordinary
communication. Young, and even older Indians in South Africa, no longer
communicate in their vernacular. Only a spoken language has a chance of
survival. So how do we save Indian languages from becoming extinct in
South Africa? The answer is simple: use the spoken form of the languages
more often.</p>
<p>“Children must be encouraged at home to speak one of the Indian
languages. After prayer services at temples, time must be set aside to
promote the speaking of Indian languages. It is only by learning Indian
languages that songs and dances will become more meaningful,” he said.</p>
<p>Chatsworth businessman, Mogambaram Narainsamy "MN" Reddy, was
honoured at this year’s function for distinguished service to the
community.</p>
<p>Reddy trained as a teacher and served the Education Department for 15
years. He ventured into business as proprietor of Reddy’s Corner House,
Silverglen.</p>
<p>Reddy has actively promoted the civic, religious and cultural affairs of the community.</p>
<p>Four teachers who taught at the Bayview School established by the institute were honoured at this year’s reunion function.</p>
<p>They were Faith Maureen Chellan, Neela Maharaj, Rawhotarie Naidoo and Daliah Naidoo.</p><p><a href="https://www.iol.co.za/thepost/restore-status-of-languages-11495614">https://www.iol.co.za/thepost/restore-status-of-languages-11495614</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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