NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 623
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 25/11/2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 39/2011)
Mr D B Feldman (COPE-Gauteng) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
(1) Whether her department (a) fully applies section 6(4) of the
Constitution (details furnished) and (b) has given a greater
attention to the development of previously disadvantaged
languages since 1994; if not, why not; if so, what are the
relevant details;
Section 6(4) of the Constitution reads, âThe national
government and provincial governments, by legislative and other
measures, must regulate and monitor their use of official
languages. Without detracting from the provisions of subsection
(2), all official languages must enjoy parity of esteem and
must be treated equitably.â This Section should be read with
Section 29(2) that reads, âEveryone has the right to receive
education in the official language or languages of their choice
in public educational institutions where that education is
reasonably practicable. In order to ensure the effective access
to, and implementation of, this right, the state must consider
all reasonable educational alternatives, including single
medium institutions, taking into account - (a) equity; (b)
practicability; and (c) the need to redress the results of past
racially discriminatory laws and practices.â
(a)
Yes, the Department of Basic Education, both at national and
provincial levels, operates within the legislative framework
that is guided by the provisions of the Constitution.
(b)
The 1996 South African Schools Act and the 1997 Language in
Education Policy provide for learners to learn any of the
official languages as a language of learning and teaching or
subject; thereby affording all official languages to enjoy
parity of esteem as enshrined in the Constitution. The
Department further developed the National Curriculum that
encourages learners to learn through their home languages. This
is particularly so, but not limited, in the Foundation Phase,
where learners learn basic skills such as reading, writing and
counting. The NCS further compel learners to learn at least one
African language before the end of Grade 9, thereby putting more
emphasis on the promotion of the previously marginalised
languages as well as to redress the previous imbalances.
(2) whether, with the introduction of the Curriculum and Assessment
Policy Statement, her department will employ full-time language
specialists for each language; if not, why not; if so, what are
the relevant details regarding African languages in each case;
In provinces, all languages have full-time specialists. At
national level the Department has six language specialists, two
for GET and four for FET. These officials work with all
language related matters in schools. They do not deal with a
particular but all languages offered in our curriculum.
However, the Department is planning to establish a Language
Unit whereby all official languages will be represented.
(3) whether she has been informed of the prevalence and dominance of
English and Afrikaans languages over other languages; if not,
what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the
relevant details;
Despite all the noble intents that the Department has put in
place to promote the previously marginalised languages to enjoy
the parity of esteem as enshrined in the Constitution, I am
aware of the status quo still enjoyed by both English and
Afrikaans, particularly with regard to usage as languages of
learning and teaching (LoLT). Only English and Afrikaans are
used as LoLT throughout the system; whereas African languages
are mainly used in the Foundation Phase.
(4) whether her department has put any corrective measures in
place to uplift the status of African languages; if not, why
not; if so, (a) what measures and (b) what are the further
relevant details? CW768E
(a)
Yes, as indicated in the previous question, the strengthening
of the African languages and the introduction of African
languages across the system.
(b)
All the materials, including the workbooks have been developed
in all official languages and provided to learners in Grades R
to 6.