English With or Without G(u)ilt: A Position Paper on Language in Education Policy for South Africa

Abstract

This paper examines the implications of language in education policy in post apartheid South Africa, for both schools and universities. Particular attention is paid to the recommendations of the Language Task Action Group (LANGTAG), delegated by the Minister of Education in 1995, to establish South Africa's language-related needs and policies across different domains in the society. The LANGTAG document, Towards a National Language Plan for South Africa, proposed a national language policy designed to promote the development and status of the historically disadvantaged African languages; and to counter the hegemony of English. This paper supports the general policy but challenges LANGTAG's implementation strategies. It makes the following recommendations: (a) All students should have the right of access to the language of power (English at present). Planned and effective provision for its delivery must be made an explicit part of language policy; (b) Allstudents must learn at least one African language as subject throughout the years of compulsory schooling; (c) An African language as a language of learning and teaching should be a long term goal. These recommendations should lead to effective implementation of LANGTAG's multilingual policy.