Afrikaans and English: Language Policy in the South African Education System

Abstract

Purpose of work. The article examines the linguistic situation in modern South Africa after the end of Apartheid. One question is the importance of a concept of mother tongue education in the RSA. What difficulties Afrikaans speakers, mainly the Afrikaners and the Coloureds, have regarding the use of their mother tongue in education and how such challenges can be addressed; does this provide a basis for building a new common cultural, national identity. Materials and methods. The author analyzes several aspects and measures taken by the South African government, by universities and various public organizations in the sphere of education that affect the status and functioning of the Afrikaans language in modern conditions in order to determine the degree of their influence on the linguistic situation in the country. Results. The study showed that the measures taken by the government in the field of language policy, especially with regard to Afrikaans, are clearly at variance with the Constitution, guaranteeing the right to education in the mother tongue, Since the government’s goal is not to support Afrikaans and other language speakers in their desire to preserve linguistic identity, but to impose the English language, the minority language on the multilingual country, which in turn causes discontent among the Afrikaans speakers, that leads to the establishment of civil society organizations and movements for the defense of the mother tongue and the development of secessionist activities among Afrikaners and other linguistic communities among the country. Conclusion. Based on the facts provided, the author concludes that without joint efforts and cohesion of the Afrikaners and the Coloureds, without a shared perception of their linguistic and cultural identity, Afrikaans in the long run will simply become just a home language with further complete and utter oblivion.