Afrikaans-only language policy goes to court

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Mikro language row for court
07/02/2005 20:58  - (SA)

Cape Town - A dispute over the Afrikaans-only language policy at Cape
Town's Mikro Primary School goes to the Cape High Court on Tuesday after
the failure of last-minute negotiations.

A team from the provincial education department, headed by MEC Cameron
Dugmore, had several hours of talks on Monday with school governing body
chairman Erhard Wolf. However Wolf said afterwards that the two sides were
unable to find common ground on Mikro's position that the governing body,
rather than the department, should decide admission and language policy.

"We are disappointed, but let's see what comes out tomorrow," he said.
Dugmore spokesperson Gert Witbooi said the department's proposal for
mediation by the Pan-South African Language Board had been rejected. The
school applied to the court last month to stop the department placing
English-speaking pupils at the school, overriding the governing body's
language and admission policy.

Edited by Iaine Harper

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