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JOHANNESBURG. — An elite South African university wants to drop Afrikaans as the language of instruction and teach in English.
Stellenbosch University management has taken the decision in the wake of a viral video about the challenges and racism faced by black students.
It detailed how some struggled with lessons in Afrikaans, one of the main languages spoken by the white minority.
A student movement that campaigned for change said: “The doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all.” The university is reportedly two-thirds white, more than two decades after the end of apartheid.
Opposition to being taught in Afrikaans helped mobilise students to join the campaign against white-minority rule. A post on the Open Stellenbosch campaign group’s Facebook page added: “The Language Policy Has Fallen”, a reference to the nationwide protests last month over tuition fees that used the hashtag #feesmustfall.
It is part of a movement to “decolonise” higher education sparked earlier this year when a student emptied a bucket of excrement over the statue of British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes at the University of Cape Town’s campus.
“Language should be used in a way that is oriented towards engagement with knowledge in a diverse society and to ensure equitable access to learning and teaching opportunities for all students,”
Stellenbosch University management said in a statement, adding that the change would take place from next year.
South Africa’s top six mother-tongue languages: Zulu — 22,7 percent, Xhosa — 16 percent, Afrikaans —13,5 percent, English – 9,6 percent, Setswana – 8 percent, Sesotho — 7,6 percent. South Africa has 11 official languages altogether. English is the most commonly spoken language used officially and in business.
“Since English is the common language in South Africa, all learning should be facilitated in at least English to ensure no exclusion due to language,” the statement said.
The university would remain committed to the further development of Afrikaans and Xhosa as academic languages, it said. In university residences students should use English as the common language, it added.
These recommendations will be put to the university’s council at its meeting on November 30, where correspondents say it may face fierce opposition but is likely to be passed.— BBC.
Online Reporter