Cosas threatens shutdown over Afrikaans in schools
The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) has called on the Department of Basic Education to review its language policy in schools.
The student organisation says the use of English and Afrikaans as the primary medium of instruction for learning promotes inequality.
Spokesperson Zithulele Ndlela says the organisation wants the department to commit to transformation.
“The letter (to the department) addresses mostly issues that we’ve been complaining about. Primarily it speaks of scrapping of Afrikaans as a medium or as an option of instruction in examinations. It also speaks of implementing history as a compulsory subject as of the 2021 curriculum.
“For the mere fact that you still have schools that when you go to a school you find a board that says ‘welcome’ and also its written in Afrikaans, it shows that there are still inequalities and there are some languages that are prioritised. We believe that a learner should be able to learn in IsiZulu,” he adds.
ALSO READ:
Nehawu 'willing to accept consequences' for healthcare pickets
Saphetha said the union decided to go ahead with the pickets after the collapse of talks with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize. "It was to give the department an opportunity to respond to the fact-finding report with the view to fix the shortcomings covered in the report.
The organisation also wants the department to address the issue of funding for matric pupils.
“We’re not saying that schools must not be taught in English but we’re saying that there must be an option for a learner who understands in IsiZulu to read and be educated in their own language. We want Physical Science to be taught in IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, Tshitsonga and Tshivenda.”
Ndlela says the department has 10 days to respond its demands or face national shutdown.
“We want commitments with a timeframe, and we have said to the department if they don’t respond constructively and tangible to our demands, we are going to shutdown schools after these 10 days.
“We’ve been patient enough with the Department of Education and we believe that it’s time for us to act accordingly.”
Listen to Ndlela below:
