[lg policy] South Africa: University of Pretoria confirms English-only lectures are on the cards

[Harold Schiffman]

University of Pretoria confirms English-only lectures are on the cards
by Agency Staff, February 22 2016, 09:05

[image: Students run past the Old Arts Building at the University of
Pretoria's Hatfield campus. Picture: Aron Hyman]
Students run past the Old Arts Building at the University of Pretoria's
Hatfield campus . Picture: ARON HYMAN
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THE University of Pretoria confirmed a proposal on Monday that all its
lectures be offered in English only, in response to protests against its
language policy.

UP students arrested in those protests last week were to appear in the
Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday morning.

The Tshwane University of Technology, meanwhile, planned to open all its
campuses on Monday despite talk that the group opposing outsourcing has
threatened to resume its protest on TUT campuses.

"We are aware of the rumours, but we have sufficient security in place and
we are monitoring the situation," spokesperson Willa de Ruyter said.

She said all TUT campuses would be opened on Monday morning.

The institution had been monitoring the situation all weekend, and it had
remained calm. It had also deployed sufficient security personnel to
monitor the situation, she said.

An insourcing task team was expected to resume talks on Monday.

Ms de Ruyter said the task team had already done a lot of work since its
establishment in December.

EyeWitness News reported on Monday that the #OutsourcingMustFall campaign
had vowed to resume protests if TUT management failed to fully uphold its
agreement to insource workers.

According to the broadcaster, the two parties reached a consensus earlier
this month that workers would be integrated over a three-year period and
would earn a minimum of R5,000.

However, the movement said the university had failed to ensure that workers
who participated in protests were protected from facing dismissal and
victimisation, it said.

*New language policy*

The University of Pretoria’s (UP’s) proposal to offer all in English only
<http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/protest-hit-university-of-pretoria-proposes-new-english-language-policy-20160222>
was posted on its Facebook page on Monday morning.

After days of protests against its language policy, the university
announced: "Following many queries, the University wishes to clarify that
the proposed way forward on the language policy is that all lectures should
be offered in English only.

"To promote multilingualism and student success, it is proposed that
Afrikaans and Sepedi be used to provide additional support to students.

"Changing the language policy is a statutory process. These proposals have
been supported by consensus of the senate and will be considered by the
council. Any changes to the language policy also have to be submitted to
the minister of higher education and training."

Dozens of students were arrested for protesting at the university's
Groenkloof and Hatfield campuses last week.

The group is expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on
Monday morning and several of their supporters have used social media to
call for protests outside the court building.

http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/education/2016/02/22/university-of-pretoria-confirms-english-only-lectures-are-on-the-cards

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