A national research infrastructure funded by the Department of Science and Innovation, the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) conducted a Durban University of Technology (DUT) Language Resources Audit with staff and students at the Coastlands Musgrave Hotel on Friday, 11 August 2023.
The audit was divided into two sessions, a staff session in the morning and a student session in the afternoon. Both sessions were facilitated by Ms Andiswa Bukula, IsiXhosa researcher from SADiLaR.
She began by thanking the staff for availing themselves to be part of the engagement about the DUT Language Policy.
Welcoming the staff at the audit was Professor Runette Kruger, the Executive Dean: Faculty of Arts and Design at DUT.
Giving the context of the audit, Prof Kruger said SADiLaR is conducting a Language Resources Audit across all South African public universities to define and identify resources that are readily available and still required to support the implementation of a Language Policy Framework for public higher education institutions. She described the engagement as a crucial task of empowering the DUT community through practical engagement of the Language Policy in practice. Prof Kruger described language as key to the people’s humanity.
Prof Kruger shared some of the initiatives to show DUT’s dedication to the intellectualisation of indigenous languages. She said the Faculty of Arts and Design and the department of Media Language and Communication through Dr Sylvia Zulu are engaging with the DUT Library to take this very important process forward and that engagement will be formalised soon.
She added that access to early schooling and advanced training on home languages is the key to resilience and progress.
“I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Dr Sylvia Zulu, the Head of Department: Media, Language and Communications who spearheaded the organisation of this event along with colleagues from our Centre of Teaching and Learning (CELT). A special thanks to Dr Clement Moreku, DUT Dean of Students for aiding the student participation in this audit,” said Prof Kruger.
Prof Kruger also introduced Professor Langa Khumalo, Executive Director: SADiLaR, who introduced the audit and its aims to staff. He said that SADiLaR has conducted the audit in 24 out of 26 universities and that DUT was the 24th and last institution to partake in the audit.
According to Prof Khumalo, one of the aims of the Language Policy Framework is to promote and strengthen the use of all official languages across all functional domains, including scholarship, teaching, and learning, as well as wider communication.
“The policy is totally unambiguous; it is very clear that the use of all official languages must permeate throughout the university life of all staff and all students. There is no equivocation in the policy. This policy doesn’t have cop out clauses so there is no escaping for higher education institutions in terms of what this policy demands,” added Prof Khumalo.
He emphasised that the policy clearly states that these languages must be used as vehicles and enablers in teaching and learning.
DUT staff members who participated in the SADiLaR Language Resources Audit.
DUT staff also had the opportunity to engage with Prof Khumalo on the significance of the Language Policy and its impact on the DUT teaching and learning. The staff were given time to complete the SADiLaR questionnaire, where they had to share institutional information on the Language Policy based on language services, teaching and learning, the language of communication and administration, student life, and general language resource matters.
Concluding the staff session in isiZulu was Dr Zulu, saying it was her way of embracing the Language Policy Framework. She called upon two DUT lecturers from the department of Media, Language and Communication, Mrs Nqobile Sawula to interpret in sign language and Dr Manqoba Ndlovu to interpret in English. The SADiLaR team and guests applauded her for this initiative and for embracing the other official languages.
The afternoon, student session began with a welcome address conducted by the DUT Dean of Students, Dr Clement Moreku.
Unpacking the aim behind the audit, Dr Moreku referred to the Constitution stating every person has a right to receive education in the language of their choice. He also quoted the Higher Education Act of 1997 which speaks to the fact that Council and Senate of higher education institutions should determine the Language Policy of that institution, which should be published and made available on request.
Dr Moreku then introduced the keynote speaker, SADiLaR’s Executive Director, Professor Langa Khumalo who gave the context of the audit to the students.
He indicated that the Languange Policy Framework took effect from 1 January 2022, where universities were requested to align their institutional language policies to the framework and those institutions that do not have the language policies to formulate the policies that are consistent with the spirit of this framework.
“Knowledge itself that does not have a preferred language. In Africa, we seem to have the default understanding that when you are talking about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, we talk about English,” explained Prof Khumalo.
Furthermore, the Commission for Human Rights in 2018 located language as the main problem leading to students failing. According to Prof Khumalo, the implementation of the Language Policy in higher education institutions will start in January 2024.
After his thought-provoking presentation, Prof Langa had a robust discussion with the students on the importance of DUT having a language policy. Students also filled in the questionnaire seeking insight on the DUT Language Policy.
Dr Mzwandile Khumalo, the Siyaphumelela Institutional Leader at DUT delivered the vote of thanks. He thanked all DUT academics, the SRC and the team from SADiLaR and DUT who were instrumental in the planning of the audit.
Pictured: DUT staff and students during the Language Resources Audit.
Photographer: Robin Moodley.
Simangele Zuma
