The University of Bristol are delighted to present this talk from Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town (South Africa) and the University of Bristol's inaugural Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professor.

Abstract

In 1997 South Africa announced a new Language in Education policy that recognises 11 official languages and encourages multilingualism. Within this policy, learners (or rather, their parents) must choose the preferred language of learning upon admission to a school. Where the language they choose is not available, parents can apply to the provincial education department to provide instruction. Schools also have to choose a language for learning and teaching, and school governing bodies are required to state explicitly their plan to promote multilingualism. In 2020 the Department of Higher education and training published a language policy framework for public higher education institutions. The purpose of this policy is to ensure the development and strengthening of indigenous languages as languages of scholarship, teaching and learning and communication in South African universities.

Professor Phakeng is an inspirational scholar, leader and woman, and in this talk she will will argue that while all these policies are excellent in principle, they offer a false choice/promise. Unfortunately these language in education policies seem to ignore the political role of language in a post-colonial multilingual country with the levels of poverty and inequality such as South Africa. I will critique the (non-)implementation of these policies and then offer three key recommendations on relevant languages policies that can enhance the status of previously marginalised South African languages, foster institutional inclusivity and social cohesion.

Tickets

This event has two ticket types, both are open to all, you can register for either of the options below:

• Webinar attendee . Please register for this option if you would be interested in having the opportunity to ask Professor Phakeng a question, otherwise please register for the Livestream option. Limited availability.

• Livestream attendee

Background

This event is organised by the International Research Partnerships Office, part of Research Development at the University of Bristol. The Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professorship (BIVPs) is a year-long appointment during which Professor Phakeng will be engaging with our academic community and building institutional partnerships.

Professor Phakeng began her term of office as Vice-Chancellor of UCT in July 2018. Previously she had been serving as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation at UCT since January 2017. She holds a PhD in Mathematics Education from the University of the Witwatersrand and is a highly regarded B1 National Research Foundation-rated scientist with over 80 research papers and five edited volumes published. She has been invited to deliver over 40 keynote/plenary talks at international conferences, and as a visiting professor in universities around the world. She has won numerous awards for her research and community work, including the Order of the Baobab (Silver) conferred on her by the President of South Africa in April 2016. In August 2014 CEO magazine named her the most influential woman academic in Africa; in August 2016 she was awarded the prestigious Businesswoman of the Year Award in the education category; and in 2020 she was included in Forbes’ inaugural list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Africa.

Throughout her illustrious career she has broken new ground as the first woman in a range of prestigious positions, including being elected as the first woman President of the Convocation of the University of the Witwatersrand, leading the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA) as its first woman National President, and being the first black South African researcher to be appointed to co-chair a study commissioned by the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction.

You can read a more detailed biography about Professor Phakeng here.

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