ANC wants new language policy

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Published Dec 20, 2012

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Bloemfontein - The ANC wants the teaching of an indigenous language to be compulsory in all schools, social transformation sub-committee chairman Joe Phahla said on Thursday.

“We talking about official languages,” he told reporters on the final day the African National Congress national conference in Mangaung.

“Once it is policy, even a school in Waterkloof would have to teach a language such as Tswana, for example.”

Phahla said the language would depend on the region where the school was situated. Sesotho would, for example, be taught in the Free State.

Asked about the compulsory singing of the national anthem in schools, committee member Paul Mashatile said no decision was taken.

“We want to promote the singing of the national anthem. We have not yet made it compulsory but in some schools it is being sung daily already.”

Mashatile said it was decided that the ANC itself should sing the full national anthem at every meeting to set an example - and not just the part of Nkosi Sikelel’iAfrika.

The committee also decided that all cultural practices not in line with the Human Rights Bill should be outlawed.

These included the custom of forced marriages of young girls, among others. - Sapa

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