Home language first at new trilingual Cape school

[Harold F. Schiffman]

from the Cape Argus,

Home language first at new Cape school

By Candes Keating

Pupils between the ages of five and nine who live in Mitchell's Plain will
soon have the option of mother- tongue instruction in three languages at a
new school in Tafelsig. A first for the area, the school will offer pupils
from Grade R to Grade 3 the option of mother tongue instruction in
Afrikaans, English and Xhosa.  The new school, called Mitchell's Heights,
can accommodate 1 100 pupils, and sports facilities will be developed
through various partnerships in the future.

District education director Eugene Daniels said it would be the first time
Xhosa is offered for teaching foundation phase pupils in Mitchell's Plain.
Pupils taught in their mother tongue for the first four years perform
better than those who opt for instruction in their second or third
language.

"It is important to first learn your mother tongue," said Daniels.
Education MEC Cameron Dugmore said: "The opening of this new school will
give us an exciting opportunity to develop a language policy to build on a
mother-tongue based bilingual education policy." The new school opens at
the start of next year and offers Grades R to 9.


For application forms, call 021 370 2028 or visit the education management
and development centre in AZ Berman Drive, Lentegeur. The deadline for
applications is November 25.

candesk at incape.co.za

 Published on the web by Cape Argus on October 13, 2005.
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