Teachers slate move to Mandarin
The Department of Basic Education will be introducing Mandarin, the most widely spoken language on the planet, at state schools as an optional, not compulsory, second language subject from next year. But some are saying this is not a priority language and the government should instead focus on consolidating and strengthening the current curriculum and promoting South Africa’s own indigenous languages. CANDICE SOOBRAMONEY reports.
TEACHER unions have strongly disapproved of Mandarin being introduced as an optional subject at public schools next year, saying more resources should instead be ploughed into consolidating and strengthening the current curriculum.
They described the move by the Department of Basic Education as a knee-jerk reaction by “someone trying to please someone else”.
Minister Angie Motshekga first announced plans for the teaching of Mandarin, the most widely spoken language on the planet, last year after the signing of bilateral agreements between South Africa and China.
The countries also agreed to co-operate on matters pertaining to education.
According to reports, Motshekga’s office at the time had said that as China was South Africa’s biggest trading partner, it was important for children to become proficient in the language and develop a good understanding of Chinese culture.
It is understood that the roll-out of Mandarin would be incrementally implemented in schools from Grades 4 to 10 in January next year. This would be followed by Grade 11 in 2017 and Grade 12 in 2018.
The president of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa, Basil Manuel, said Mandarin, introduced as a second language option, was not a priority at schools.
“Our country is battling to teach indigenous languages, so why complicate things and introduce Mandarin? It’s not necessary and it should not be a priority, especially when children in rural areas are struggling to even speak English,” he said.
“This is not because they are not intelligent but because they don’t even have access to resources such as libraries.”
Manuel said the department was not consolidating the current curriculum but “adding more and more” subjects.
He said it was still unclear who would teach the subject and how much financial capital the government would pump into the teaching of Mandarin.
“This is not a well-thoughtout plan. It’s a knee-jerk reaction by someone trying to please someone else.”
The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union’s KwaZulu-Natal deputy secretary, Bheki Shandu, said: “We are saying the Department of Basic Education must prioritise other things for the benefit of the nation.
Benefit
“Introducing this language will not assist us to protect our own language and culture.
“Our government must develop the cultures of the country first and ensure the advancement of the current subjects.”
He said the teaching of Mandarin would only benefit foreign nationals living and doing business with South Africans.
On Youth Day in June, Sadtu released a statement saying: “We see our education being used to strengthen trade agreements.
“The introduction of Mandarin is one example. Sadtu was disappointed with the pronouncement on the introduction of Mandarin as a subject with clear time frames and specified grades when we are slow in the development of our own languages.
“The reason for introducing Mandarin in our schools totally contradicts what the Chinese did to develop China. The cultural revolution of China was based on the Chinese language as a driver for unity and social cohesion.
“The Chinese have managed to do away with Western domination because they understood that culture is important in the development of the nation.
“We view the introduction of Mandarin as a form of colonisation by China in exchange for the electronic gadgets for schools.
“No international trade must undermine our culture. Our language is our heritage and cannot form part of WTO (World Trade Organisation) or any international trade agreements.”
Sadtu released a follow-up statement last month expressing that its national executive committee was “disappointed” with the department’s continued efforts “to spin its way out of what is clearly an unpopular decision”.
Re-colonisation
They reiterated their stance that the introduction of Mandarin was the re-colonisation of South Africa.
“The NEC took a decision that the union will engage on a programme to involve stakeholders in education including Cosas (the Congress of South African Students), Cosatu affiliates and the society at large against the introduction of Mandarin and its prioritisation over our indigenous languages.
“The union will also discourage members from participating in the envisaged Mandarin training programme for teachers.
“Further, the union will convene a seminar that will include those from academia to fraternal organisations, and create a platform which will see us engaging on how we can prioritise our own indigenous languages.”
The statement stressed that language was the essence of who we were.
“Colonialism and apartheid have limited our people… which in turn has limited our view of the world.
“Colonialism and apartheid have denied our people their language and this has denied them of their rich culture and heritage.
“A people without a language remains divided and impoverished,” the union said.
“Poverty of indigenous language breeds violence and low self-esteem.
“Lack of quality mother-language teaching in our schools is drying our children’s access to quality education.”
The department stressed that Mandarin was optional, not compulsory.