Stellenbosch to extend dual-medium

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Stellenbosch to extend dual medium
By Candice Bailey

Stellenbosch University has decided to extend dual-medium tuition for
third-year students in the faculty of arts for the coming year, despite
strong opposition from many graduates and academics who rejected this
option earlier this year. The decision to extend dual-medium tuition - the
so-called "T-option" - was taken by the council last week when it accepted
the senate's recommendation on language as part of the university's
language specifications for 2006.

The council also decided to re-appoint the rector, Professor Chris Brink,
for a second term until 2011 after his current terms expires in December
next year. The university's language policies will be automatically come
up for review next year. Meanwhile, the specifications that have been
adopted will be thoroughly monitored until then, council chairperson Edwin
Hertzog said.

'The future of Afrikaans as a language of tuition' "We take cognisance of
the concerns in various circles about the future of Afrikaans as a
language of tuition and we regard it as our responsibility to take that
into consideration. "However, it is also our responsibility to consider
other aspects, such as throughput rates of students, diversity goals and
financial realities." The fevered language debate started in 2002 when
Brink raised the issue of dual-medium tuition based on transformation
targets and language use on campus.

It has been raging ever since, with prominent academics and alumni - like
Herman Giliomee, Breyton Breytenbach and Frederick Van Zyl Slabbert - and
students and former students joining in. They argue that the T-option is
in sharp contrast to assurances by Brink that Afrikaans would be retained
and extended as the primary medium of instruction at the university. At a
convocation last month, the fevered language debate came to a head when
about 1 200 graduates rejected the university's multi-language policy in
favour of Afrikaans as primary language of instruction. Only about 75
members voted against the motion.

candiceb at incape.co.za



This article was originally published on page 2 of The Cape Argus on
December 19, 2005


Published on the Web by IOL on 2005-12-19 10:06:00
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