AfriForum: “US management not to be trusted”
13 November 2015
AfriForum is of the opinion that the statement concerning language policy that was released late last night by the Rector’s management team of the University of Stellenbosch (US) is proof that any allegations regarding their appreciation for and dedication towards Afrikaans education are nothing more than lip service.
According to Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, the statement testifies of extreme ideological obligingness, or serious ignorance, seeing as reference is made to “best language policy practices” that are allegedly emulated. “International recognised best practices prove that mother tongue education is the best option for students and further also supports the presentation of education in high function languages that are used in the vicinity of a tertiary institution.
According to the census of 2011, Afrikaans is the mother tongue of 49,6% of residents in the Western Cape, against 24,7% isiXhosa mother tongue speakers and only 20,2% English mother tongue speakers. Students who wish to study in English have three unilingual English campuses to choose from in the immediate vicinity.
Already discrimination takes place against the 49,6% Afrikaans speakers on the basis of language by only offering them partial access to Afrikaans education at the US. The statement makes it clear the US management cannot even be trusted to maintain the partial presentation, but wants to make an effort to further marginalise Afrikaans and discriminating even more drastically against Afrikaans speaking students.”