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By Alicia Mmashakana
South Africa has marked International Mother Tongue Language Day under the theme “Make Languages Count for Sustainable Development”.
Discussions at Mbombela between the Pan South African Language Board (PanSALB), the Sports, Arts and Culture Department focused on the significance of mother tongue utilisation, particularly within educational frameworks, as a means to enhance learning outcomes.
Friday was the 25th anniversary of the day. Its aim is to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and to promote multilingualism.
The event underscores the critical connection between language preservation and promotion and the adoption of multilingual education policies and practices on a global scale.
PanSALB CEO Lance Schultz said that the introduction of mother tongue-based bilingual education in schools would not only enhance the quality of education, but also sustain linguistic and cultural diversity.
“It will provide learners with a sense of pride in their heritage and contribute to the development of a more inclusive and equitable society,” he said.
Schultz stated that the event served as a constant reminder and an essential part in the pursuit of equitable access to education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
“The national implementation of MTBBE (mother tongue-based bilingual education) thus represents a pivotal step toward not only decolonising the educational landscape, but also unlocking the potential of learners as guaranteed in the Constitution’s preamble,” he said in a statement.
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube participated in a Unesco panel to share what South Africa was doing with MTBBE.
She said that evidence showed that to improve learning outcomes, reduce inequalities and give every child a fair chance at success, it was important to expand access to MTBBE.
“This is particularly relevant for us in South Africa, where most learners transition from mother-tongue instruction to English as the langue of learning and teaching after only three years of schooling, which is insufficient according to international research.
“We are not aiming to replace any language but are adding a mother-tongue to strengthen comprehension and improve educational outcomes,” she said.
This approach will include teacher training, updated bilingual materials and potentially introducing bilingual national assessments.
INSIDE EDUCATION