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#AfricaMonth2024: Championing global citizenship and African higher education

31 May 2024 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Matome Mokoena

The University of the Free State (UFS) recently hosted a compelling event at its Bloemfontein Campus in celebration of Africa Day. Under the theme “World Citizenship and African Higher Education: Preparing Students for a Connected World”, the gathering, organised by the Office for International Affairs, brought together distinguished speakers and scholars to explore the significance of Africa Day and the pivotal role of African institutions of higher learning in shaping a global mindset.

In his opening address, Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UFS, emphasised the importance of commemorating Africa Day as a means to honour the continent's history, celebrate its diversity, and reaffirm commitments to unity, peace, and progress in Africa. “Events of this nature remind us that Africa is rising and increasingly claiming its rightful place as a thought and leadership influencer in the global community of nations. How we, as the UFS, embrace this as an opportunity for innovation and impact is of critical importance to our institutional vision, which we call Vision 130, setting out our collective intent to the year 2034, when the university will mark the 130th anniversary of its founding,” he added.

Addressing inequality and colonial legacies

A panel discussion featuring prominent speakers delved into critical issues affecting African society and higher education. Advocate Thando Gumede, a respected human rights and feminist activist, passionately advocated for substantive equality and the dismantling of systemic barriers to empower black women in society, with a particular focus on academic institutions. Gumede emphasised the persistent issues facing African women and girls, particularly black women, in the economy and leadership roles. “It’s now 2024, and yet a black government has purposefully and intentionally failed to meaningfully address the laws, systems, and colonial ideologies that ultimately led to the socioeconomic and political paralysis and violation of African women and girls today, especially black women within the economy and roles of leadership,” she asserted.

She further elaborated on the metaphor of tiptoeing around a house, symbolising the cautious and ineffective efforts to address these deep-seated issues. Advocate Gumede’s call to action was clear: "We have been tiptoeing in this house for 30 years, not wanting to bump the nice transparent vases around the house. We have been silently tiptoeing around this house so as to not wake up the masters. We have been unable to breathe in this house because we have been giving excessive amounts of oxygen to those who don't need it as much as we do. And so, what I'm trying to say is that unless we are willing to tear the entire house down and smash the foundation that it once stood on, there ain’t nothing going to change. Folks, we need to destroy the house and go build something new somewhere else."

Decolonising academic discourse and promoting inclusivity

Other panelists included Prof Itumeleng Mosala, an academic specialising in theology and religious studies, who passionately highlighted the need to decolonise theological discourse and challenge Eurocentric narratives for a more inclusive academic environment. Additionally, Prof Vasu Reddy, Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation of the UFS, stressed the value of embracing diverse perspectives and knowledge systems to cultivate critical thinking and intercultural understanding among students.

Promoting social justice through higher education

Dr Phethiwe Matutu, CEO of Universities South Africa (USAf), spoke about the pivotal role of higher education institutions in promoting social justice through global engagement and addressing historical injustices to build a more equitable society. “Success in higher education hinges on multiple components, including access, resources, and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems. Embracing indigenous knowledge is vital not only for cultural affirmation but also for global advancement, with numerous universities and organisations making significant strides in this area.”

“Pedagogies that promote social justice, such as peer learning and reflective teaching, are essential. These methods validate students' knowledge and encourage comprehensive learning. The Ubuntu pedagogy, which emphasises care, collaboration, and language, is particularly affirming and relevant in advancing education,” she added.

Towards equity and renewal

Three recommendations were proposed for consideration: undoing the residue of colonial leadership ethos, leveraging African knowledge systems in education, and continuously questioning and reflecting on practices to ensure alignment with values and genuine progress.As the event concluded, Prof Petersen urged attendees to reflect on the insights shared and consider their roles in driving positive change within their communities and institutions. The UFS Africa Day event served as a platform for robust discourse on advancing global citizenship and African higher education, reaffirming the institution's commitment to excellence, inclusivity, and the pursuit of knowledge for societal transformation.

News Archive

DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture

2005-05-19

DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture: Language and language activism in a time of transformation (summary)
Proff Hennie van Coller and Jaap Steyn

Language activism necessary for multilingualism
The awareness is growing that language activism will be needed to bring about a truly democratic multi-lingual society. What is quite clear is that a firm resolve must continuously resist the concentrated pressure on Afrikaans-medium schools (and universities) to allow themselves to be anglicised through becoming first parallel medium, then dual medium, and finally English medium institutions.

Proff Hennie van Coller and Jaap Steyn said this last night (Wednesday night) in the 24th DF Malherbe Memorial Lecture at the University of the Free State. Prof van Coller is head of the Department Afrikaans, Dutch, German and French at the UFS. Both are widely honoured for their contributions to Afrikaans and the promotion of Afrikaans.

They discussed three periods of transformation since 1902, and said about the current phase, which started in 1994: “Besides all institutions and councils having to be representative of South Africa’s racial composition, places of education were required to open their doors. Quite rapidly this policy has had the result that schools and universities may be solely English medium, but not solely Afrikaans medium. Afrikaans medium institutions — if they claim the right to remain Afrikaans — are quickly branded racist, even though their student body may include all races.

“Education departments are presently exerting great pressure on Afrikaans medium schools to become double or parallel medium schools. Parallel medium education is an equitable solution provided it can be sustained. Established parallel medium schools, such as Grey College in Bloemfontein, have catered even-handedly for English and Afrikaans speakers for decades. But the situation is different in the parallel medium (and still worse in the double medium) schools that spring up usually at the behest of a department of education.

“Afrikaans schools are converted almost over-night into parallel or dual medium schools without any additional personnel being provided. Depending on the social environment, a parallel medium school becomes reconstituted as a dual medium school on average in five to eight years, and dual medium school becomes an English-only school in two to three years. Some Afrikaans medium schools have become English medium in just three years.

“Though the Constitution recognises mono-lingual schools, officials in the provinces insist that Afrikaans schools become dual or parallel medium; English medium schools are left undisturbed. One must conclude that the tacit aim of the state is English as the sole official language, despite the lip-service paid to multi-lingualism, and the optimistic references to post-apartheid South Africa as a ‘rainbow’ nation.”

They said a recent study has shown that the 1 396 Afrikaans schools in the six provinces in 1993 have dwindled to 844. The fall off in the Free State is from 153 to 97; in the Western Cape from 759 to 564; in Gauteng from 274 to 155; in Mapumalanga from 90 to 3; in the North West from 82 to 13; and in Limpopo Province from 38 to 12.

They said the changes at universities, too, have been severe, as university staffs well know. Ten years ago there were five Afrikaans universities. Today there are none. The government demanded that all universities be open to all, which has meant that all universities have had to become English medium. And no additional funding was forthcoming for the changes. The government policy amounts to a language “tax” imposed on the Afrikaans community for using Afrikaans.

“Only when all schools (and universities) are English will the clamor cease. Academics and educationists are beginning to speak openly of forming pressure groups to save Afrikaans schools, and of using litigation as one of their methods. 59% of Afrikaans parents have said they would support strong action if Afrikaans were no longer a medium of instruction at schools.”

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