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26 January 2024 | Story Charlene Stanley | Photo Supplied
Mother tongue pride
UFS staff members and students celebrating learners’ achievements at the Philippolis Public Speaking Competition. Pictured are Jani de Lange and Likiledi Mokoena; back: Lusenda Machini, Kevin Cloete, Susan Lombaard, Tinotenda Magaya, and Mabatho Ntsieng.

A unique public speaking competition hosted in the small town of Philippolis has done wonders to not only build confidence in young mother tongue speakers, but to broaden the cultural perspectives of an entire community.

The Philippolis Public Speaking Competition has been hosted by the Unit for Language Facilitation and Empowerment (ULFE) and the Department of Community Engagement (CE) at the University of the Free State (UFS) since 2013. What started as a small competition for learners in this Southern Free State town, has grown into a much-anticipated annual event, drawing participants from schools in neighbouring towns such as Trompsburg, Bethulie, Jagersfontein, Fauresmith, Gariepdam, and Reddersburg.

Talking about heritage

Every year, learners from Grades 6 to 9 are invited to present a speech on a specific heritage-related topic. Participants are encouraged to speak in their mother tongues – which in this region are mainly Afrikaans, Sesotho, Setswana, and isiXhosa.

Interpreters from the UFS ULFE ensure that the audience can follow each speech. For the past few years, deaf learners from the Bartimea School for the Deaf and Blind in Thaba Nchu and Re Tlameleng School for the Deaf in Kimberley have made welcome appearances, assisted by UFS sign language interpreters.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to teach our young people about acknowledging and respecting different opinions – but also to consider perspectives from differently abled individuals,” enthuses Anita Muller, a teacher from Bergmanshoogte Primary School, who has been involved in the competition from the very beginning.

“Learners in rural areas so often believe they don’t have a voice, and that nobody is interested in their opinions,” she continues.

“This competition does wonderful work in building feelings of self-worth and self-confidence. And it is usually a welcome opportunity for our broader community to get together, learn about one another’s cultures, and change perspectives.” 

Embracing individuality

Jani de Lange, UFS Lecturer in South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies, and one of the coordinators of the project, says she was excited to note that the master of ceremonies of last year’s competition was a former participant in the very first event.

“This project gives me a sense of pride and reminds me why I am part of the UFS. It has been a real eye-opener to see how important it is for those involved,” she says.

“It encourages our young people to embrace their individuality, as we celebrate the cultures and traditions of all those who participate,” says Mabatho Ntsieng from the Engaged Scholarship Office. She says young people often lose sight of where they come from. By giving them opportunities to research topics linked to their heritage and then present their speech in their mother tongue, they can return to their cultural roots.

“It is wonderful to see how proud these participants are and the impact it has on the schools and the community.”

News Archive

Husband and wife make formidable team as they simultaneously receive a PhD
2014-12-12

Stellah Nambalirwa Lubinga and Moses Herbert Lubinga – a married couple – each received their Doctoral degrees at our 2014 Summer Graduation Ceremony. Their PhDs are in Public Administration and Management and Agricultural Economics respectively.

Dr Stellah Lubinga’s thesis is titled ‘The role of democratic rights and obligations of citizens in enhancing public service delivery in Uganda’. Her research makes a valuable contribution to a subject that has been under the spotlight in Uganda for some time. She contends that citizens need to exercise their rights to participate in planning for service delivery. In the absence of their participation, the quality of such services will remain sub-standard. Dr Stellah Lubinga proposes far-reaching interventions for ensuring constructive citizen involvement in the planning processes of service delivery.

Dr Moses Lubinga developed a set of Horticultural indices to be used as proxies in evaluating the impact of climate change on horticultural trade flows to the European Union market. His thesis is titled ‘The impact of climate change and the European Union GSP-Scheme on East Africa’s Horticultural Trade’. His methodological contribution lays the foundation for the future assessment of international trade flows from agriculturally-driven economies in informing policy-makers on the formulation of international trade policy – to the ultimate benefit of the nations in question.

The husband and wife Doctoral graduates originate from Kampala, Uganda, and have lectured and held several other positions in Ugandan and South African educational institutions. They continue to make great contributions in their respective fields of work.

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