MPs slam “unfair” Afrikaans and English language policy in Free State schools

DISCRIMINATORY hiring practices, ailing infrastructure and severe staff shortages are some of the urgent issues the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education has flagged following its oversight visit in some Free State schools.

Committee chairperson Joy Maimela said it was “unfair” that the school language policy allowed for Grade Four to 12 learners to be taught only in Afrikaans and English in the Lejweleputswa district while other languages were used for teaching in the lower grades one to three.

“This means that learners whose mother tongue is Afrikaans are more privileged than the other children in these schools. We do not have a problem with Afrikaans, but we say all languages must be treated equally,” she said.

A lack of black African teachers at Orion Special School also raised concerns about potential discrimination, linked to the school’s requirement that teaching applicants be proficient in both English and Afrikaans, Maimela said.

The committee said this language policy was designed to exclude black teachers from applying. 

The employment of foreign teachers at Edmund Rice Independent School also came under fire. 

During a visit to Welkom Secondary, the committee observed that the school was grappling with serious infrastructure challenges, as well as social issues such as vandalism, drug abuse, gangsterism, and teenage pregnancy, which contributed to high learner dropout rates.

“The committee also visited Vitrivier Farm Primary School and heard about problems of unreliable scholar transport which often becomes unavailable due to breakdowns and non-payments by the department, resulting in children missing classes for weeks. The principal and his three teachers are responsible for 93 learners and have pleaded with the committee to engage the department to recruit more teachers for the farm school,” the committee said.  

The Free State Department of Education was directed to provide a comprehensive report on the recruitment policy as well as a plan to address the challenges observed. 

Both the provincial and national Department of Basic Education (DBE) did not respond to questions on the matter by deadline.

Cape Times