Debate continues over Stellenbosch University’s language policy

A poll conducted at Stellenbosch University has found that while most of its convocation members want it to be a world class institution, nearly half want the university to be purely Afrikaans. The university uses Afrikaans as the primary language of instruction for undergraduates, while English is more-widely used at post-graduate level. University spokesperson Mohamed Shaik says the poll indicates that 70 percent of members support the language policy, but 44 percent want th university to be exclusively Afrikaans. A debate on the university’s language policy has been sparked by a controversial proposal of dual-medium instruction for all classes in the faculty of arts.