Question NW45 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
24 February 2023 - NW45
Schreiber, Dr LA to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
Whether, with reference to his reply to question 3520 on 30 September 2022, the amendment to the Language Policy Framework for Higher Education Institutions to recognise Afrikaans as an indigenous language has been duly published in the Government Gazette; if not, what are the reasons that the amendment has not been implemented despite his repeated undertakings to do so; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (the Policy Framework) of 2020 does not discriminate against Afrikaans as one of our indigenous official languages. My department has consistently stated that the focus of the Policy Framework is on promotion of multilingualism and upliftment of the historically under-developed and previously disadvantaged indigenous languages as languages of communication and academia within our universities. The technicalities around the definition of ‘indigenous language’ as articulated in the Policy Framework has been duly acknowledged and are being addressed accordingly.
The objective of our very own policies is aligned with the Constitution, and we have championed equality of all official languages of the Republic. Furthermore, my department is mobilising sufficient resources to support the development of indigenous languages in universities. The consultative processes have been completed and the publication of the amended definition will be done in due course, most likely, in the first half of this year.