The state of the indigenous languages in Kroonstad secondary schools
Matube, Sello John
This study focuses on the extent to which the indigenous
languages are used among Kroonstad secondary schools. This is
prompted by the declaration of the South African constitution
that the indigenous languages be declared official languages .
This research therefore investigates whether these languages
are used equitably by the students at schools and whether they
have been included in the school curriculum.
To achi eve this exercise interviews are conducted amonq
secondary school children and their educators. Data is
collected, arranqed and analyzed. It is then discovered that
in Kroonstad only ~our indigenous lanquaqes are found, namely
Sesotho, isi-Zulu, isi-Xhosa and Setswana. Of these languages
only Sesotho is being used for communication purposes . The
other lanquaqes are being used at home and amonq their
speaker a only.
A recommendations is therefore made that much attention shoul-d
be given towards the development of the indigenous languages
so that they could be used by a large variety o~ people.
These languages should be developed to become the media of instructi on now that most people feel that they are as
important as other official languages . A major task should be
given to the government , the curriculum and language planners
to develop the indigenous languages to a point where they
would receive recognition of their status as official
languages. For this to be attained, the indigenous languages
should be included in all schools curriculum to be studied as
subjects.
↧