The Evolution of Language-in-Education Policy in South Africa

During the apartheid era, South Africa's language in education policy was ideologically driven by racism and the desire to suppress the indigenous languages of the majority of South Africans.  The policy was fiercely resisted and led to unprecedented episodes of collective violence.

In post-apartheid South Africa, the language-in-education policy takes into account the socio-linguistic reality of South Africa's multilingualism and bestows upon the individual the right to choose his or her own language of learning and teaching.

The political climate in South Africa underwent dramatic changes with the unbanning of political organizations in 1990.  A new policy, emphasizing multilingualism, evolved.  The sociolinguistic reality of multilingualism in South Africa was eventually recognised.  The new Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 200 of 1993), which was hammered out and forged by South Africans of all political persuasions, reflects the linguistic diversity of South Africans and recognises their right to exercise their freedom in choosing their own languages.  Constitutional Principle XI provides that "The diversity of language and culture shall be acknowledged and protected, and conditions for their promotion shall be encouraged".

In the presentation, I intend focusing attention on the apartheid language policy in schools in South Africa.  The major thrust of the paper will be devoted to sketching the genesis and evolution of a new language policy for schools in post apartheid South Africa.