SA schools to make mother tongue compulsory

Concerned over children losing touch with indigenous languages, South Africa will make mother tongue the compulsory medium of instruction during the first six years of a child's schooling.

Concerned over children losing touch with indigenous languages, South Africa will make mother tongue the compulsory medium of instruction during the first six years of a child's schooling.

The Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor said her department seeks to establish a national programme that would focus on the compulsory achievement of communicative competence in an indigenous language by learners.

"The aim of making mother tongue languages compulsory in the first six year's of a child's study is to ensure that the future of South Africa's indigenous languages as areas of academic study and research is promoted," Pandor said.

"The role of language and access to language skills is critical to enabling individuals to realise their full potential and participate in and contribute to the social, cultural and intellectual life of the country," she said.

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