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Afrikaans schools, discriminatory?
- Thread starter Sly21C
- Start date
Not really. I had a discussion with my teacher earlier this week, and actually it's the previous SG student who is struggling now.
The current maths paper consists of 100 HG and 50 SG marks. Now the previous SG learner has to choose between ML and a more of a HG mathematics, which leads to worse education or a bad math average.
School maths is a joke. Seriously people who can't do that, should just take maths lit and go work at checkers.
I will not accept the current policy that almost every model C schools have adopted regarding making it compulsory for students to take Afrikaans as their second language. It is something I will raise within my organization and I will see how far I go with it.
It is wrong to not give people a choice to choose their own second language, this policy is a dinosaur policy and must change. School governing bodies with an attitude of "either you accept our school policy or go f**k yourself" doesn't work. There are a lot of Zulu, Sotho and other African language teachers out there who can easily take up a post at a model C school to teach an African language, saying there aren't enough teachers is all just an attempt to deviate from coming to a solution and carry on with dinosaur policies.
Regarding the above issue, I will agree to disagree with people who don't agree with me. I'll leave it at that, I won't debate on this issue because clearly we all know where I stand and I know where you stand.
Regarding another issue of schools with Afrikaans as a medium of instruction.
If a company was formed in the 70s and has been using Afrikaans to do its business and the company is (say) a construction company. Does that mean an employee who does not understand Afrikaans must suddenly adapt and learn Afrikaans? Or must the Afrikaans speaking employees accommodate the English speaking employee by speaking to him in Afrikaans. The Afrikaans speaking people can continue speaking in Afrikaans, no problem, but shouldn't they speak in English if there's an employee who is English speaking in their immediate presence?
I am against schools who use Afrikaans as a medium of instruction because I fail to see how those students taught in Afrikaans will apply their Afrikaans terminology in the workplace, considering they will be working with Indians and blacks (unless ofcourse they only plan on working with Afrikaans speaking individuals only). I am also against those schools because it does discriminate, the "you must adapt to our language or go somewhere else in the bundus" type of talk to me is discrimination. Wouldn't it be better for all schools to use English as a medium of instruction? We live in a country that is racially divided but with diverse cultures and languages and the only language that is understood by most South Africans is English. Our president speaks in English to address the nation even though a majority of people in this country with a language as their mother tongue are Zulu.
If you feel I am pissing you off or feel I started this thread to troll then that is not my intention. I am raising an issue and I can't nurse people's egos and feelings I'm afraid.
It is wrong to not give people a choice to choose their own second language, this policy is a dinosaur policy and must change. School governing bodies with an attitude of "either you accept our school policy or go f**k yourself" doesn't work. There are a lot of Zulu, Sotho and other African language teachers out there who can easily take up a post at a model C school to teach an African language, saying there aren't enough teachers is all just an attempt to deviate from coming to a solution and carry on with dinosaur policies.
Regarding the above issue, I will agree to disagree with people who don't agree with me. I'll leave it at that, I won't debate on this issue because clearly we all know where I stand and I know where you stand.
Regarding another issue of schools with Afrikaans as a medium of instruction.
If a company was formed in the 70s and has been using Afrikaans to do its business and the company is (say) a construction company. Does that mean an employee who does not understand Afrikaans must suddenly adapt and learn Afrikaans? Or must the Afrikaans speaking employees accommodate the English speaking employee by speaking to him in Afrikaans. The Afrikaans speaking people can continue speaking in Afrikaans, no problem, but shouldn't they speak in English if there's an employee who is English speaking in their immediate presence?
I am against schools who use Afrikaans as a medium of instruction because I fail to see how those students taught in Afrikaans will apply their Afrikaans terminology in the workplace, considering they will be working with Indians and blacks (unless ofcourse they only plan on working with Afrikaans speaking individuals only). I am also against those schools because it does discriminate, the "you must adapt to our language or go somewhere else in the bundus" type of talk to me is discrimination. Wouldn't it be better for all schools to use English as a medium of instruction? We live in a country that is racially divided but with diverse cultures and languages and the only language that is understood by most South Africans is English. Our president speaks in English to address the nation even though a majority of people in this country with a language as their mother tongue are Zulu.
If you feel I am pissing you off or feel I started this thread to troll then that is not my intention. I am raising an issue and I can't nurse people's egos and feelings I'm afraid.
Mila
Honorary Master
Do you understand or should I type in shorter sentences?
It's not compulsory. If your parents were in the position to pay for a teacher to teach you something else. Why did they not. Tell your buddies so that they can burn more schools and even less will be taught.
Afrikaans is and african language. AFRIKA ans. Deal with it.
I will now stop feeding you as your first school failed to teach you to read and comprehend.
Do you understand or should I type in shorter sentences?
It's not compulsory. If your parents were in the position to pay for a teacher to teach you something else. Why did they not. Tell your buddies so that they can burn more schools and even less will be taught.
Afrikaans is and african language. AFRIKA ans. Deal with it.
I will now stop feeding you as your first school failed to teach you to read and comprehend.
+1 for Afrikaans being an African language.
I don't see why Afrikaans schools have to change, 99% of the time they cater for the demographic of students that live in their area.
Nicodeamus
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If parents are more involved then they can change the governing body, they have a say on how the school runs, it is their children's education after all, if there are enough teachers a 3rd/4th language will be implemented, changes are that many of those teachers who can speak Zulu, probably can't teach it. There is a difference between speaking a language and teaching in it.
Many companies still operate in Afrikaans, some employers value bilingualism as a skill, saying that English is the only terminology is just plain wrong. Hell when I go into shops in Pretoria, people mainly speak to me in Afrikaans. The world and country isn't just English.
To my knowledge numerous studies have been done that proved that mother tongue education provide the best results when educating your children. Furthermore Afrikaans is the most widely understood language in this country, followed by Zulu then English - you're facts as just wrong.
The Afrikaans people take English as a 2nd language and I have never had a problem expressing myself in English (granted I do mix up my tenses every now and then, but I don't sound like a moron). You're misunderstanding the ability to Speak a language and learn in a language. Sure English is the world language of business, but that is a very simplistic view, currently in SA you're going to deal with more than 1 language, if I am able to speak more than 1 language then yes an employer is going to take me over someone else who can only speak 1 language. It is a skill, if you don't want it - don't learn the language. However don't complain if it holds you back later in life.
I agree, but did you come in here to debate or to force an opinion?
Here is your logic: Afrikaans schools are discriminating because I can't speak Afrikaans, therefore because I can't speak Afrikaans and because I'm to lazy to find an English school or learn the language OTHER people must now sacrifice on my behalf and become equally lazy.
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I hear there's a shortage of Xhosa and Zulu language teachers. We should be grateful that children have to learn another language. It gives them an advantage later in life.
I also know that many Xhosa and Zulu children struggle to master their mother tongue. My Uncle used to be fluent and would give even a well educated Xhosa person a run for his money. They need to raise standards dramatically in Bantu languages before they can be considered mainstream alternatives.
They might teach in Zulu because it's easier for the teachers and learners. But that does not mean they are Zulu medium schools. As far as I'm aware there is no such. The medium of instruction is English i.e. English text books, English exams, etc.
Nicodeamus
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I read somewhere that grade 1-3 will be in Zulu in a few years time.
Mila
Honorary Master
They are trying to have all kids have their first few years education in the childs home language. Then it will move to be your second language and english will become the primary language you will be taught in.
It's a great idea, they now just have to get the teachers, which is the product of our schooling system and the evil cycle goes round and round.
Its very important and nobody doubts that. And we hope that we will start seen results soon.
I think that would be a great idea because the learners speak Zulu (almost exclusively) as a mother tongue.
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Now that I think about it, it was always like that in the past. We did SS-A, SS-B, Standard 1 and 2 in Zulu. We only started with English medium in Standard 3 onwards.
If you compare our literacy levels to kids of today, you can clearly see the benefit of mother tongue instruction in the beginning.
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Ekstasis
Honorary Master
It's not a troll thread, you're just anal because you're not able to add any value to the topic at hand. Go play in the 3 questions thread.
It's not a topic, it's flamebait.
+10000
I hated having to learn English. I hated having to learn German. I hated having to learn French.
And I am glad that I did that now. Speaking more languages is a virtue which should not be underestimated, and saying that you should only learn English is just wrong. Being able to speak Afrikaans, Dutch, English, German and to understand and speak basic French has given me many advantages.
And I am glad that I did that now. Speaking more languages is a virtue which should not be underestimated, and saying that you should only learn English is just wrong. Being able to speak Afrikaans, Dutch, English, German and to understand and speak basic French has given me many advantages.
MightyMuffinMan
Expert Member
This reminds of a friend who does not speak afrikaans. he studies for his post graduate degree in Obstetrics (specialist). He studies in KZN and does neither speak nor understand english. He goes to Pretoria for his exams and in his oral examination (this is an exam that you are invited to after passing the written paper) his examiner refuses to speak english (even though he can and this is an official exam) and asks him the oral questions in Afrikaans even though he makes it clear he does not understand the questions.
he fails and has no recourse as he will have to be examined 6 months later by this mans' colleagues and friends.
Afrikaans is being used as an excuse for segregation. period. And it is still the language of oppression IMO. I'm indian and will probable never send my kids to a school here they are forced to speak afrikaans.
trust me in the academic world racism is alive and well. My point is that it is still being used to control access to education and thats not gonna change.
MightyMuffinMan
Expert Member
you do know that OP not asking you to teach in zulu right? he asking us why are children being forced to take afrikaans as a compulsory language and why are they being forced to study everything in afrikaans.
No says an african language can be used academically.
But in reality it would be more useful to learn french (given its use internationally as a second world language) or zulu/xhosa given that most of the country speaks this language and it will strengthen the ability to communicate with your clients etc
Nicodeamus
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So the Afrikaans people must stop teaching and developing their language because some people feel it is used as segregation? Am I the only one who finds this illogical and slightly fascist?
If you don't want your kids to learn the language don't send them to a school that teaches it or ask the PGB to change the policy of the school, if you can't do that then you're the guilty one for not using the right channels. It doesn't get more difficult than that.
I find it very difficult to believe that at UP they would ask you questions in Afrikaans if you cannot speak it, they have a two language policy.
If you don't want your kids to learn the language don't send them to a school that teaches it or ask the PGB to change the policy of the school, if you can't do that then you're the guilty one for not using the right channels. It doesn't get more difficult than that.
I find it very difficult to believe that at UP they would ask you questions in Afrikaans if you cannot speak it, they have a two language policy.
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