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Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 of 1997)

Notices

Language Policy for Higher Education

The Policy Framework

 

(12) The framework for language in higher education takes into account the requirements of the Constitution, the advice received, as well as the objectives and goals of the National Plan for Higher Education (2001). In particular, it recognises the need to ensure equity of access and fair chances of success for all who seek to realise their potential through higher education. The framework also reflects the values and obligations of the Constitution, especially the need to promote multilingualism. For the first time, a genuine attempt will be made to ensure that all of our official languages are accorded parity of esteem.

 

(13) The Ministry acknowledges that the implementation of multilingualism will, in practice, be in tension with other imperatives and considerations such as the need for financial affordability and the rights of others. The Constitutional provisions in respect of language in education explicitly state that such rights as receiving education in the official language(s) of choice in public educational institutions are subject not only to considerations of equity and the need to redress the results of past racially discriminatory laws and practices, but also to those of practicability (Section 29(2) of the Constitution).

 

(14) The policy framework for language in higher education addresses the following issues:
• languages of instruction;
• the future of South African languages as fields of academic study and research;
• the study of foreign languages; and
• the promotion of multilingualism in the institutional policies and practices of institutions of higher education.

 

(15) In relation to languages of instruction:

 

(15.1) The Ministry acknowledges the current position of English and Afrikaans as the dominant languages of instruction in higher education and believes that in the light of practical and other considerations it will be necessary to work within the confines of the status quo until such time as other South African languages have been developed to a level where they may be used in all higher education functions.

 

(15.2) The Ministry agrees with the Council on Higher Education that consideration should be given to the development of other South African languages for use in instruction, as part of a medium to long-term strategy to promote multilingualism. In this regard, the Ministry will give urgent attention to the establishment of a task team to advise on the development of an appropriate framework and implementation plan, including costing and time-frames. The specific recommendation of the Council on Higher Education with respect to the development of other South African languages will be considered as part of this investigation.

 

(15.2.1) The promotion of South African languages for use in instruction in higher education will require, amongst others, the development of dictionaries and other teaching and learning materials. The Ministry will work in close collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture in this regard.

 

(15.2.2) The success of such a historic undertaking will depend on the injection, over a period of time, of substantial financial resources. The level of resourcing will be comparable to the investments that were made, in the past, to develop Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in higher education.

 

(15.3) The Ministry is committed, as stated in the National Plan for Higher Education, which was adopted by the Cabinet in 2001, to ensuring that language should not act as a barrier to equity of access and success. In this regard, the Ministry would like to encourage all higher education institutions to develop strategies for promoting proficiency in the designated language(s) of tuition, including the provision of language and academic literacy development programmes.

 

(15.4) The Ministry acknowledges that Afrikaans as a language of scholarship and science is a national resource. It, therefore, fully supports the retention of Afrikaans as a medium of academic expression and communication in higher education and is committed to ensuring that the capacity of Afrikaans to function as such a medium is not eroded. In this regard, the Ministry endorses the views of the then President, Mr. Nelson Mandela, as expressed in his speech to the University of Stellenbosch in 1996, on the occasion of the acceptance of an honorary doctorate that:

 

"The real issues is not the extermination or preservation of Afrikaans as an academic medium. Rather, the question is this: Amongst ourselves, how are we to negotiate a dispensation for the South African university system that meets the following three criteria? Firstly, that a milieu should be created and maintained for Afrikaans to continue growing as a language of scholarship and science. At the same time, that non-speakers of Afrikaans should not be unjustly deprived of access within the system. And moreover, that the use and development of no single language medium should - either intentionally or unintentionally – be made the basis for the furtherance of racial, ethnic or narrowly cultural separation".

25 October 1996

 

The Ministry has built on this statement in the National Plan for Higher Education.

 

(15.4.1) The Ministry does not believe, however, that the sustainability of Afrikaans in higher education necessarily requires the designation of the University of Stellenbosch and the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education as ‘custodians’ of the academic use of the Afrikaans language, as proposed by the Gerwel Committee.

 

(15.4.2) In this regard, the Ministry agrees with the Rectors of the Historically Afrikaans Universities that the sustained development of Afrikaans should not be the responsibility of only some of the universities (Views on Afrikaans, by the rectors of the HAUs, 23 September 2002). The concern is that the designation of one or more institutions in this manner could have the unintended consequence of concentrating Afrikaans-speaking students in some institutions and in so doing setting back the transformation agendas of institutions that have embraced parallel or dual medium approaches as a means of promoting diversity. Furthermore, some of those making the call for Afrikaans as the anchor language of one or more institutions are of the view that access for non-Afrikaans speakers could be accommodated provided that they acquire proficiency in the Afrikaans language for academic purposes.

 

(15.4.3) While it could be argued that such a requirement in the case of foreign students is reasonable, requiring the same of South African students no doubt constitutes an unjust imposition and an additional burden of demand. The Ministry is also concerned that some individuals have equated institutional responsibility for promoting Afrikaans as an academic medium to the establishment of ‘Afrikaans’ universities. The notion of Afrikaans universities runs counter to the end goal of a transformed higher education system, which as indicated in the National Plan for Higher Education (NPHE), is the creation of higher education institutions whose identity and cultural orientation is neither black nor white, English or Afrikaans-speaking, but unabashedly and unashamedly South African (NPHE: p. 82).

 

(15.4.4) The Ministry is of the view that the sustainability of Afrikaans as a medium of academic expression and communication could be ensured through a range of strategies, including the adoption of parallel and dual language medium options, which would on the one hand cater for the needs of Afrikaans language speakers and, on the other, ensure that language of instruction is not a barrier to access and success. In this regard, the Ministry will, in consultation with the historically Afrikaans medium institutions, examine the feasibility of different strategies, including the use of Afrikaans as a primary but not a sole medium of instruction.

 

(15.4.5) However, as announced in the Government Gazette of 21 June 2002, "Transformation and Restructuring; A New Institutional Landscape for Higher Education", historically Afrikaans medium institutions would be required to submit plans for the period 2004-2006 indicating strategies and time frames they intend putting in place to ensure that language of instruction does not impede access, especially in high cost programmes with limited student places such as the health sciences and engineering.

 

(16) In relation to the future of South African languages as areas of academic study and research:

 

(16.1) The Ministry is committed to the development and study of South African languages and literature, including the Khoi, Nama and San languages and would like to encourage institutions to develop and enhance these fields of study. In a country of diversity, knowledge of languages and literature offers access to and understanding of different cultures which not only enhances communication and tolerance, but also positively enriches and extends our horizons.

 

(16.1.1) As part of the process of building South African languages and literature, institutions will be encouraged to pay particular attention to curriculum development in these fields of study.

 

(16.2) The Ministry will over the next five to ten years, through various planning and funding incentives, encourage the development of programmes in South African languages. These include amending the funding grids for teaching inputs and outputs for specifically selected languages, providing earmarked institutional development funds for research, and facilitating the offering of scholarships to students.

 

(16.3) The Ministry believes, however, that the cost of offering such studies by individual institutions is prohibitive in relation to current student demand. To ensure continued provision and sustainability of these studies it would be necessary, therefore, to offer them on a more cost-effective regional/national platform. As indicated in its submission of approved academic programmes for universities and technikons for 2003 – 2006 (August 2002), the continued funding of programmes in these areas of study would be subject to the development of appropriate regional frameworks.

 

(16.4) The Ministry will closely monitor developments in these areas with a view to ensuring the promotion and sustainability of the study of South African languages and literature.

 

(17) In relation to the study of foreign languages and literature:

 

(17.1) The Ministry will use a similar approach proposed for the development and study of South African languages and literature to encourage the study of foreign languages, in particular those languages that are important for the promotion of the country’s cultural, trade and diplomatic relations. Attention will also be paid to languages commonly used by communities in South Africa, such as German, Greek, Portuguese, French and Hindi.

 

(18) In relation to the promotion of multilingualism in institutional policies and practices:

 

(18.1) The Ministry recognises the important role of higher education in the promotion of multilingualism for social, cultural, intellectual and economic development.

 

(18.2) The Ministry encourages all institutions to consider ways of promoting multilingualism. These could include changes to events such as graduation ceremonies to acknowledge and accommodate diversity in the constituency body, requiring proficiency in an African language as a requisite for a range of academic fields of study and offering short courses in African languages as part of staff development strategies. In addition, institutions could consider the allocation of preferential weighting to applicants who have matriculation passes in indigenous languages.

 

Clearly, change in the diversity of student and staff profiles, initiatives such as student support, mentorship and counselling, and the creation of a receptive institutional culture which embraces linguistic diversity are also other crucial ways for promoting a climate where all people feel affirmed and empowered to realise their full potential.

 

(18.3) Higher education institutions are required to indicate in their three-year rolling plans the strategies they have put in place to promote multilingualism, including progress in this regard.

 

(19) The Ministry recognises the need for this policy framework to be responsive to the needs of the disabled, for example, developing competencies and capacity in sign language. This matter will be taken forward as part of the process and strategies identified in the National Plan for Higher Education for addressing the needs of disabled persons.

 

(20) All higher education institutions are required to develop their own language policy subject to the above policy framework, which should be submitted to the Minister by 31 March 2003. The Ministry will continue to monitor the impact of language policy in higher education.