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Why South African universities have a duty to develop multilingualism

20 September 2023 | Story Prof Francis Petersen | Photo Kaleidoscope

VC Prof Petersen — Prof Francis Petersen is Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State.

Opinion article by Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State.

In the South African higher education landscape, there has for several years now been a comprehensive and very welcome emphasis on decolonising the curriculum, with tertiary institutions systematically and deliberately including indigenous knowledge systems in their teaching and learning ambits and incorporating views and comments from individuals and communities that have been excluded or marginalised in the past. But what is often overlooked is the necessity to also incorporate local indigenous languages. These should, in fact, form an integral part of the decolonisation process, as they not only promote inclusivity, but also facilitate more effective teaching and learning. Heritage Month is the perfect opportunity for us as institutions of higher learning to take stock, and to critically evaluate what we are doing to introduce and promote multilingualism on our campuses, and to develop the use of indigenous languages in the academic and scientific spheres, says Prof Francis Petersen.

When it comes to language diversity, South Africa is a global frontrunner. Only Zimbabwe, India, and Bolivia have more official languages. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent amendment of the Constitution to introduce Sign Language as South Africa’s twelfth official language emphasises the government’s commitment to cultivating a multilingual society. Section 29 of the South African Constitution stipulates that everyone has the right to receive education in the official language or languages of his/her choice in public educational institutions, where such education is reasonably practicable. Regrettably, the reasonably practicable stipulation is often used as an excuse by many learning institutions to focus on English only, since there is still a widespread lack of learning resources in indigenous African languages. The recent Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions states that: “It is apparent that there has been little progress made in exploring and exploiting the potential of African languages in facilitating access and success in higher education institutions.” This serves as an indictment against the entire higher education sector. I believe it is our duty as institutions of higher learning to not only create, develop, and implement indigenous language resources, but to come up with innovative policies and strategies to actively advance multilingualism on our campuses.

Necessity of a multilingual approach

Language continues to be a barrier to access and success for many students at South African higher education institutions whose proficiency in English simply does not match that of their mother tongue. Research has shown that language proficiency and the pursuit of knowledge are closely intertwined. Ultimately, languages are tools to navigate better understanding.

There is a renewed emphasis at many institutions of higher learning – including here at the University of the Free State (UFS) – to have research that addresses the needs and challenges experienced in the communities that surround us, as well as in the wider global environment. An essential component of this is how the knowledge we produce are communicated to and taken up by the global scientific community, but also by the ordinary citizens whose lives it aims to impact. The important role that language plays in this cannot be denied.

Against this backdrop, it is essential that African universities re-intellectualise African languages to contribute meaningfully to the knowledge community – using technology and innovation in our efforts to do so. Indigenous languages may be afforded the status of official languages, yet they have clearly not been adequately developed or utilised as academic and scientific languages.

Multilingualism practices promote inclusion

Apart from the fact that multilingualism helps to remove teaching and learning barriers, as well as to facilitate better communication, understanding, and uptake of the knowledge we produce, linguistic variety also serves a very important role in ensuring inclusion and a sense of belonging on our campuses. This, in turn, works towards generating the social cohesion that we cherish so deeply on our campuses. By implementing multilingualism practices, we embrace diversity in academic and social spaces, foster a positive attitude towards linguistic diversity, and nurture students’ pride in their native languages.

An encouraging example of this is the Philippolis Public Speaking Competition, which the UFS has been hosting for learners from small Southern Free State towns for several years now. Each year the participants are invited to share their thoughts on a heritage-related topic and are encouraged to do so in their mother tongue – which in this area is mainly Sesotho, Afrikaans, Setswana, and isiXhosa. The feedback from schools is that the confidence and pride this initiative has sparked in young mother tongue speakers has led to a renewed interest in and appreciation of their heritage.

Ways of introducing multilingualism in higher learning pedagogies

But how do we introduce multilingualism at universities when an overwhelming portion of learning material and references are written in English? An important departure point can be to create multilingual academic glossaries, forming the bedrock for further language development. When it comes to developing multilingual strategies, it is furthermore vital that, instead of just implementing a few random initiatives, higher learning institutions have a systematic, integrated approach across faculties, campuses, and knowledge spheres.

At the University of the Free State, our Language Policy expresses the university’s commitment to multilingualism, with particular emphasis on Sesotho, Afrikaans, and isiZulu – the languages spoken by a significant part of the student population. We want to create a language-rich environment, ensuring that language is not a barrier to equity of access, opportunity, and success in academic programmes – or to accessing the UFS administration. A direct outflow of this is the Academy for Multilingualism, which was established with the express purpose of promoting indigenous languages on institutional and social levels through various academic and community-based projects and initiatives. Among the academy’s successful strategies are the production of PhD abstract translations, providing multilingual voice-overs for digital lessons, and training personnel in teaching within multilingual classrooms.

Introducing innovative translanguaging practices

One of the most promising focus areas is the facilitation of translanguage tutorial sessions in various faculties. Translanguaging is a pedagogical practice where one receives input in one language and gives output through the medium of another language in order to maximise learning and to promote full understanding of the subject matter. It also serves the important function of developing what speakers perceive to be their ‘weaker’ language. In a university context, this would entail that lectures are presented in English, while students get a chance to discuss the subject matter and ask or answer questions in tutorial groups, using another language in which they feel more or equally comfortable. This results in the dynamic and fluid use of multiple languages in teaching, learning, and communication within lecture rooms.

The value of these practices is not only in expanding cultural horizons and students’ exposure to different languages – it, in fact, also promotes better understanding and knowledge retention. In a monolingual teaching situation, it is for instance very possible for students to answer questions or complete assignments without full understanding, because processing for meaning may not have actually occurred. Sections from textbooks can merely be copied or adapted, without reflecting solid comprehension. This is, however, less prevalent with translanguaging, because reading a topic in one language and then discussing it in another requires the subject matter to be processed and digested first.

Internationalisation and developing indigenous languages

It is important to note that the development of indigenous languages should never be at the expense of expanding students’ proficiency in English as the language of instruction. English is undoubtedly the primary language of modern international scientific communication, with an estimated 98% of all scientific publications written in this language. For all academic purposes, plus to facilitate effective international collaboration, it remains essential that students are well versed in English. At the UFS, indigenous language initiatives dovetail with programmes that develop English writing and language skills. By creating a truly multilingual environment in this way, we equip students for the demands of diverse working environments – both locally and abroad.

The importance attached globally to multilingualism is abundantly clear. One of the ways in which this is reflected, is the fact that the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the decade from 2022 to 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

As South African institutions of higher learning, we should latch on to and support this important global drive – and in the process, promote both academic success and inclusivity by implementing innovative multilingual strategies.

News Archive

In January 1, 2003, the Qwa-Qwa campus of the University of the North (Unin) was incorporated into the University of the Free State (UFS).

2003-02-07

FREDERICK FOURIE

IN January 1, 2003, the Qwa-Qwa campus of the University of the North (Unin) was incorporated into the University of the Free State (UFS).

While this is merely the beginning of a long and complex process, it does represent a major milestone in overcoming the apartheid legacy in education, realising the anti-apartheid goal of a single non-racial university serving the Free State.

The incorporation is also part of the minister's broader restructuring of the higher education landscape in South Africa - a process which aims to reshape the ideologically driven legacy of the past.

In contrast to the past educational and social engineering that took place, the current process of incorporating the Qwa-Qwa campus of Unin into the UFS is informed by three fundamentally progressive policy objectives, clearly outlined in the education white paper 3: (A framework for the transformation of higher education):

To meet the demands of social justice to address the social and structural inequalities that characterise higher education.

To address the challenges of globalisation, in particular the role of knowledge and information processing in driving social and economic development.

To ensure that limited resources are effectively and efficiently utilised, given the competing and equally pressing priorities in other social sectors.

Besides informing the way the UFS is managing the current incorporation, these policy objectives have also informed the transformation of the UFS as an institution over the past five years.

In 2001, former president Nelson Mandela lauded the success of the UFS in managing this transformation, by describing the campus as a model of multiculturalism and multilingualism. This was at his acceptance of an honorary doctorate from the UFS.

Indeed our vision for the Qwa-Qwa campus as a branch of the UFS is exactly the same as it is for the main UFS campus - a model of transformation, academic excellence, community engagement and financial sustainability, building on the histories and strengths of both the Qwa-Qwa campus and the UFS (Bloemfontein campus).

Realising this vision will be a giant leap forward in establishing a unified higher education landscape in the Free State.

In more concrete terms, the UFS is working towards this vision by focusing on the following areas of intervention: access and equity; academic renewal; investment in facilities; and sound financial management.

These interventions are being made not to preserve any vestiges of privilege or superiority, but precisely to increase access for students from poor backgrounds and to promote equity and representivity among all staff.

The current growth phase of the UFS has seen student enrolment almost double over the past five years, in particular black students, who now constitute approximately 55 percent of the student population of nearly 18 000 (including off-campus and online students).

But it has not just been a numbers game. Our approach has been to ensure access with success.

Our admissions policy, coupled with the academic support and "career preparation" programmes we offer, have resulted in significant successes for students who otherwise would not have been allowed to study at a university.

This will be continued at Qwa-Qwa as well.

Our academic offerings too have undergone dramatic change. We have become the first university in the country to offer a degree programme based on the recognition of prior learning (RPL).

This is not just a matter of academic renewal but of access as well, especially for working adults in our country who were previously denied a university education.

As for the sound financial management of the UFS (including the Qwa-Qwa campus), this is being done not for the sake of saving a few rands and cents, but for the greater value to our society that comes from having sustainable institutions.

It is sustainable universities that can make long-term investments to fund employment equity, provide information technology for students, upgrade laboratories, construct new buildings, develop research capacity, and provide a safe environment for students and staff, as is happening now at the UFS.

As a result of such management, a practical benefit for prospective students at the Qwa-Qwa campus of the UFS will be lower academic fees in some cases compared with the Unin fees.

As is the case with all these processes, there are concerns from staff and students at Qwa-Qwa and the broader community of the region that the Qwa-Qwa campus serves.

To get the campus viable and to ensure its continuation in the short term, tough choices had to be made by the minister of education regarding which programmes to offer and fund.

But we have been encouraged by the community's understanding that these concerns can be addresed over time as the campus becomes financially viable.

Meetings between the top mangement of the UFS and community representatives, staff and students at Qwa-Qwa have laid the basis for building a climate of trust in such a complex process.

We should not be captives of the past divisions but build this new unified higher education landscape that can meet our country's developmental needs.

It should be a higher education landscape that is based on broadening access, promoting equity and social justice, developing academic excellence, and the effective and efficient management of scarce resources. This should be our common common objective.

Professor Frederick Fourie the rector and vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS)

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