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16 March 2020 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa
Human Rights week_read more

The Free State Centre for Human Rights in the UFS Faculty of Law invites you to the 2020 Human Rights Week from 17 to 20 March 2020. The programme features a panel discussion, poetry and artistic showcase, an art walkabout, a public lecture, and film screenings. Please see the attached poster. For more information, contact +27 51 401 7216 or FSCHR@ufs.ac.za 

Panel discussion: Africa / Human rights / Transformation 
Judge J Froneman, Judge D Pillay, and Prof T Falola
Date: Tuesday 17 March 2020
Time: 14:00         
Venue: FGG 202, Bloemfontein Campus

Poetry and artistic showcase     
Date: Tuesday 17 March 2020
Time: 16:00 
Venue: House Karee basement, Bloemfontein Campus

Images of Human Rights – Art walkabout      
Date: Wednesday 18 March 2020 
Time: 12:00 
Venue: C208, Mabaleng Building, Bloemfontein Campus

Human Rights film festival: Selection of short films
Date: Wednesday 18 March 2020 
Time: 14:00-16:00 
Venue: C12, Mabaleng Building, Bloemfontein Campus

‘Poppie Nongena’ – screening and discussion
Date: Wednesday 18 March 2020 
Time: 16:00-18:00 
Venue: C12, Mabaleng Building, Bloemfontein Campus

Public lecture – ‘African cultures and human rights’ with Prof T Falola
Date: Friday 20 March 2020
Time: 12:00

News Archive

Implications of new Language Policy for first-year students in 2017
2016-10-17

Dear Prospective Students and Parents/Guardians

As we have communicated to you since January 2016, the University of the Free State’s (UFS) parallel-medium (Afrikaans-English) Language Policy was under review during 2015. In March 2016, the Senate and then Council adopted with overwhelming majority a new Language Policy that strives to achieve multilingualism. The new policy entails English as primary medium of instruction, but with the introduction of a tutorial system in Afrikaans and progressively in Sesotho to support students’ learning in their first and second year of study.

The policy will be piloted in 2017 with first-year students in three faculties: Law, Health Sciences, and the Humanities. In these faculties, the majority of students indicated their preference to be taught in English. The Afrikaans-English policy will be maintained in the rest of the faculties in 2017 and phased out according to an implementation plan as from 2018. Current registered students will be able to complete their studies in the language they selected upon registration.

As you probably know through the media, the UFS decision to change its Language Policy is before the courts. It is hoped that the final outcome will be known before the end of the year, but this is not certain. The university management gives the assurance that it will act in terms of that final outcome.

In the meantime, the UFS will proceed with the implementation of the new Language Policy in 2017 as approved by Council.

Should the court’s verdict be in favour of the Senate and Council resolution, the March 2016 decision will come into effect. If not, the Afrikaans-English policy will stand. The UFS is committed and ready to provide for both eventualities.

Related articles:
Judgement in the Supreme Court of Appeal about UFS Language Policy: 17 November 2016
UFS to proceed with appealing to Supreme Court of Appeal regarding new Language Policy: 29 September 2016
UFS to lodge application to appeal judgment about new Language Policy: 22 July 2016
High Court ruling about new UFS Language Policy: 21 July 2016
UFS Council approves a new Language Policy: 11 March 2016

 
Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

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