University of Pretoria will remove Afrikaans as a medium of instruction

The issue has caused much debate but the University of Pretoria (Tuks) has made up its mind. The tertiary institution will, in the near future, phase out Afrikaans as a medium of instruction at the university.

University of Pretoria phases out Afrikaans

The reason behind this, as reported by Eyewitness News, has all to do with what the numbers depict, and nothing else.

Read – Here’s how many people speak Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu outside of South Africa

According to the university’s spokesperson, Rikus Delport, the steady decline in the demand for the language as a medium of communication at Tuks is what pushed the university in a more ‘inclusive’ direction.

“It’s aimed at facilitating social cohesion on the campus. We will continue to encourage multilingualism to foster unity and provide equal opportunities for students of all South African languages. We encourage the practice of assisting students in their home language where possible,” Delport stated.

South African universities that teach in Afrikaans

Tuks and Stellenbosch University are the two mainstream tertiary institutions that still foster the use of Afrikaans in schooling. However, the idea of providing an option for students to learn in their language of preference has recently been met with disapproval.

Read – Former Western Cape Premier Peter Marais joins FF Plus to ‘fight for Afrikaans’

In Stellenbosch, matters went as far as being contested in court. However, Delport purely places this move on what the numbers say.

According to the university, between 1992 and 2015, Tuks saw a drastic drop of 50% on students who registered Afrikaans as a home language.

This change will not be sudden, said Delport. Students who have been at the university before 2019 will still receive schooling in Afrikaans, based on a preferential basis.

The new system will be implemented on those who have registered in the 2019 schooling year.