The minister of basic education, Ms. Angie Motshekga’s comments about mother tongue education is very encouraging and is one ray of light on an otherwise dark education horizon, Adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus’ parliamentary spokesperson on basic education said.
According to Adv. Alberts, the minister made the comment in Parliament in reaction to his speech in the budget debate on basic education in which he asked for the promotion of mother tongue education and the protection of Afrikaans schools which are being forced to accept learners with other languages.
“The minister reacted and said that her department does not have any policy to target and scale down Afrikaans and that mother tongue education is very important.
Adv. Alberts said in a statement yesterday that basic education is currently so poor that those children emerging from this system, especially poor black children are viewed to be unemployable except where they can be used as unskilled labour.
He said the first step in correcting this is the increased implementation of mother tongue education, secondly more emphasis should be placed on mathematics and science and thirdly the pass rate has to be increased.
“It is truly heartening to hear that the minister really grasps the importance of mother tongue education and has committed herself to the promotion of it.
“The FF Plus will definitely keep a close watch over the education situation in the country and the minister can be assured that we will keep her to her undertakings and intentions,” Adv. Alberts said.
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