[lg policy] South Africa: Afrikaans being squeezed out at UNISA -

[Harold Schiffman]

Afrikaans being squeezed out at UNISA - FF+
Wouter Wessels
30 March 2011

Wouter Wessels

Dept of Communication Sciences wants to go English only

DEATH KNELL TOLLS FOR AFRIKAANS AT UNISA

The FF Plus has with shock taken note of the intention of the
Department of Communication Sciences at UNISA to submit a proposal to
the Senate of the university requesting that all courses of this
department are only offered in English as from the beginning of 2012.
This proposal will according to reports be discussed by the language
committee of the Senate on the 4th April 2011. UNISA's language policy
at present provides for both Afrikaans and English as medium of
instruction.

"If the relevant department succeeds with getting rid of Afrikaans
from its department, it will open the way for a total removal of
Afrikaans at UNISA. This is unacceptable that Afrikaans students are
discriminated against. These students undertake their courses through
correspondence teaching at UNISA for specific reasons and do not have
any alternative university," Wouter Wessels, the FF Plus' national
youth spokesperson said.

The FF Plus will be holding talks with UNISA with regards to this
issue and will not hesitate to approach the Minister of Higher
Education to request his intervention.

The department of Higher Education should adjust the state financing
models for universities to ensure that a shortage of funds do not lead
to the neglecting of multi-lingualism at tertiary institutes.

"The Afrikaans students at the Department of Communication Sciences
are a minority group and in terms of Section 29(2) of the Constitution
have a right to receive education in Afrikaans as it is reasonably
possible to be done. Afrikaans' higher functions should be protected.
It should not be allowed that the status of English alone is addressed
at the expense of other official languages of South Africa ," Wessels
said.

Statement issued by Wouter Wessels, FF Plus Youth Spokesperson, March 30 2011

http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=228741&sn=Detail&pid=71616

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