AfriForum submits submission about UP’s language policy

3 June 2016

AfriForum has just submitted a submission to the University of Pretoria (UP) about its language policy. This follows an invitation by the University to all stakeholders to present such submissions. In its submission, AfriForum expressed concern about the way in which the University’s management seemingly bows to the pressure of anarchists and is willing to sacrifice Afrikaans in the process.

According Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, the organisation requests, among other, the following in the submission (attached):

- Afrikaans should be preserved as medium of instruction at UP;

- UP should take note and acknowledge that monolingual education does not promote “social cohesion”, but in fact encourages polarisation and may even cause violent behaviour;

- The University should employ independent national and international specialists in language rights, conflict resolution through language rights promotion, language sociology, pedagogy and linguistics to study UP’s current language policy and, if needed, revise it, rather than well-meaning stakeholders who have very little knowledge of these subjects;

- There should be negotiations with Government for a fairer system that properly subsidises multilingual education at universities;

- Personnel who are multilingual should be rewarded;

- Language coercion, accusations of racism and ideological arguments should be removed from all discussions regarding UP’s language policy;

- All discussions and decisions on the language policy should be transparent; and

-  A neutral language complaints channel should be developed.

The submission also explains that the preservation of Afrikaans as medium of instruction presents with extensive academic and financial benefits for the University. Moreover, it is in line with the provisions of, among other, the South African Constitution. 

AfriForum will keep an eye on the process and will promote and protect the preservation of Afrikaans as language of instruction in all possible ways. 

Issued by Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO, AfriForum, 3 June 2016