Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Students’ perspectives on multilingualism at the UFS

28 September 2022 | Story Edzani Nephalela | Photo Edzani Nephalela

Swanti Jerry Thoka, former CSRC President and Actuarial Science student, expresses his questions and policy proposals during the questions-and-answers session.

Multilingualism is a buzzword at many South African universities. These universities promote social cohesion, a sense of belonging, and epistemic access and success by improving and advancing existing language policies and practices.

On 16 September 2022, the University of the Free State (UFS) had its first student discussion on the Bloemfontein Campus regarding the draft Language Policy, which is being reviewed for an updated version in 2023. With English being the primary language of teaching and learning, this policy aims to promote diversity in teaching and learning in Sesotho, isiZulu, Afrikaans, and Sign Language through translating tutorials and academic vocabulary and continuously establishing and maintaining trans-institutional, interinstitutional, and intra-institutional collaborations for the development of a translanguaging culture.

During the presentation, Dr Nomalungelo Ngubane, Director of the Academy for Multilingualism, revealed to students that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has designated a decade – from 2022 to 2032 – as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. This guarantees that these languages are promoted and advanced enough to be utilised as academic languages in academia. "This puts pressure on the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to recognise students' different languages in institutions. Section 29 of the South African Constitution further stipulates that we all have the right to learn in our preferred language, but only if it is practical. So currently, we cannot learn in these languages due to the lack of glossaries," Dr Ngubane said.

During the question-and-answer session, Swanti Jerry Thoka, a former Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) President and Actuarial Science student, cited the policy. "The policy states that it will entail developing previously disadvantaged languages, which includes both indigenous languages and Sign Language, as well as continuing to improve existing ones. Why don't we concentrate on development because the current languages have advanced? For example, a Sign Language policy appears to exist, but it lacks a comprehensive execution strategy," Thoka said.

Dr Ngubane noted all the remarks and questions, and assured attendees that they would be addressed at the next Council meeting. She stressed the value of students’ participation in policymaking, since their future is being debated. She further explained that students should provide the SRC with recommendations to submit at the Council meetings, because the SRC are their elected representatives.

Dr Nomalungelo Ngubane, Director of the Academy for Multilingualism, presents the draft language policy at the Equitas, Bloemfontein Campus.
(Photo: Edzani Nephalela)

News Archive

Kovsie champ makes SA Paralympic swimmers team

2015-06-05

Johann van Heerden
Photo: Supplied

Johann van Heerden will fly the Kovsie flag high in this year’s International Paralympic Committee (lPC) Swimming Championships in Glasgow. The University of the Free State first-year BEd student is one of 10 South Africans representing our country.

According to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, 640 swimmers from about 50 countries are to plunge and stroke their way to the touch plates from 13-19 July.

“I first started swimming because I had a fit when I was born and it caused me to have Cerebral Palsy. My parents thought that, because my right-hand-side functioning was not good, swimming might help strengthen my muscles,” said Johann.

His parents played a major role in influencing the beginning of his professional swimming career.

Lauren van Heerden, Johann’s father, said, “I am so excited for him, and I am proud that he will be representing our country overseas. It is a big competition so it is a good experience for him.”

Qualifying for the IPC championships has proved that hard work pays off. As his coach, Mark Markgraaff, puts it: “Johann must go out there and have fun, most importantly; he will reap the benefits of his hard work.”

It is not only his parents and coach that Johann has made proud; Hetsie Veitch, Assistant Director of the Unit for Students with Disabilities, also expressed how proud she is.

“Since I’ve known him, he has been a very determined young man who is dedicated to his sport.”

The Rio Paralympics is where Johann envisions being next year.

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept