Student voice: Perspectives on language and critical pedagogy in South African higher education

Abstract

In the past two years, higher education institutions (HEI) have been inundated with students' demands for a decolonised education. Their voice led to the resuscitation of debates on a transformed curriculum. Amongst others, the language question is an issue at the centre of these debates. What students were questioning was the hegemony of English, the slow pace in which universities implement multilingual policies, and lack of clarity on the positioning of African languages as languages of learning and teaching. In this paper, we argue that if higher education aims to address marginalised and new knowledge through a decolonised curriculum, fundamental questions are worth being asked. In particular the questions we are asking and responding to are: "How does student voice become a force for social change?" "How can student voice enable HEIs to deal with the issue of language?" We suggest and support the view that the issue of language should be recognised as a social justice issue, that student voice can enlighten curriculum designers and society on the dangers of reproducing inequalities through the hegemony of English, and that graduate attributes, as an essential notion, should recognise multilingualism as a core skill that students should acquire.

Making sense of architectural ‘language’: Implications for success in teaching and learning for ECP students at CPUT

“…In South Africa's case, higher education institutions can benefit from using African languages together with English. There is a mounting body of evidence regarding the benefits of mother-tongue education (Alexander, 2000;Nomlomo, 2004;Mayaba, Ralarala & Angu, 2018). However, the notion that African languages are underdeveloped for education, especially in scientific and technological fields, often muddles the mother-tongue debate.…”

Illustrating school-to-work transition through drawings: An exploratory study with a sample of South African students

“…The reality is the opposite, as institutions of higher learning are criticised for mostly placing emphasis on theoretical knowledge (Council on Higher Education, 2016;Tadesse, Manathunga, & Gillies, 2018) and in some cases placing little or no emphasis on the community focus and career guidance. This has led to some calling for a re-think into the model of higher learning in South Africa to address the disparities that exist (Fongwa, 2018;Mayaba, Ralarala, & Angu, 2018) and to become more accountable. Institutions of higher learning need to be asking critical questions regarding how they can enhance graduate employability and reduce the high unemployment figures.…”

Policy analysis as "text" in higher education: Challenging South Africa's "use of official languages act": A case-based approach

“…Nevertheless, undesirable dissatisfaction and confrontations arise when critical voices are excluded, such as those of students (as detected in the current analysis); and other consequences and situations continue to haunt higher education. (For a detailed account, see Mayaba, Ralarala and Angu, 2018). Deconstructing policy as text not only highlights for practitioners the continued existence of an untransformed system of education, but sheds light on possible benefits of inclusivity and meaningful engagement, when taken seriously by policy makers.…”