Examining the implementation of language policy for access and successof students in higher education in South Africa

Abstract

The multilingual nature of South African universities requires a multilingual approach towards both administration and academic practice for inclusivity and language equity. While almost all universities in South Africa have language policies, as required by the National Language Policy for Higher Education, a significant impediment to language inclusivity and equity is the implementation of these policies. The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation of a language policy for students’ access and success, and the extent to which African languages are used as academic languages at one historically Afrikaans university (HAU). The study employed a mixed methods approach using probability and purposeful sampling. The findings show that the university’s promotion of monolingualism impedes students’ access to knowledge and limits their academic achievement. Various ways of improving students’ access to knowledge to promote their academic success are discussed. The results also show that African languages continue to be marginalised as academic languages at the HAU. The central recommendation is for a more multilingual approach at this university to increase students’ equitable access to content knowledge and academic success.