Hon Minister, I will pose my question in Afrikaans.
Agb Minister, u voorganger het by verskeie geleenthede na die belangrikheid van moedertaalonderrig verwys en President Zuma het so onlangs as verlede week in die Huis saamgestem dat moerdertaalonderrig belangrik is vir die verbetering van die kwaliteit van onderrig in skole. Dit word ondersteun deur die navorsingsbevindings dat moedertaalonderrig effektiewe leer en akademiese prestasie van leerders beduidend bevorder, die aanleer van 'n nuwe moedertaal vergemaklik, die gevoel van eiewaarde by die sprekers van die verskillende tale verhoog, en die ontwikkeling van inheemse tale self bevorder.
In die lig hiervan en ook van wat so pas ges is, dat daar dalk ander dringende sake is wat onder u aandag gebring moet word, wil ek vir u vra, agb Minister, of daar ten opsigte van die implementering van moedertaalonderrig - voordat ons nog by 'n opname kom - spesifieke planne en aksies bestaan; nie net 'n beleid nie, maar planne en askies vir die implementering en bevordering van moedertaalonderrig? So ja, wat die resultate is, en of daar al enige vordering in di verband gemaak is? Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Hon Minister, your predecessor referred to the importance of mother tongue instruction on various occasions, and only last week President Zuma agreed in this House that mother tongue instruction is important for improving the quality of education in schools. This is supported by research findings that indicate that mother tongue instruction significantly promotes effective learning and academic achievement of learners, facilitates the learning of a new mother tongue, increases the self-esteem of the speakers of the different languages, and promotes the development of the indigenous languages itself. In light of this as well as what has just been said, namely that there might be other important matters that must be brought to your attention, I want to ask you, hon Minister, with regard to the implementation of mother tongue instruction, whether - before we turn to a survey - specific plans and actions are in place; not a policy, but plans and actions for the implementation and promotion of mother tongue instruction? If so, what are the results, and whether any progress has been made in this regard? Thank you.]