scholarly journals Is English becoming a threat to the existence of indigenous languages in institutions of higher learning in South Africa?

De Jure ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Anzanilufuno Munyai ◽  
Moses Retselisitsoe Phooko

This article provides a critique of the judgment of the Constitutional Court of South Africa in Gelyke Kanse v Chairperson of the Senate of the University of Stellenbosch1 with specific reference to the concept of transformative constitutionalism and the use of indigenous languages in tertiary education. The discussion further highlights the significant role played by one's own language in his or her day-to-day life encounters and argues that the wait has been too long to have one of the indigenous languages fully utilised in one of the tertiary institutions, amongst others. Finally, the paper recommends that the use of indigenous languages at institutions of higher learning needs to be given urgent attention by all stakeholders and can no longer remain at the mercy of those who are tasked with language policies at tertiary institutions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 540-543
Author(s):  
Vincent, O. Asogwa ◽  
◽  
Emmanuel N. Ezugwu ◽  

The establishment of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund is aimed at promoting education in Nigeria. It is achieving its objectives today by providing funding that enhances teaching and learning in tertiary institutions. This study aims to examine the impact of this funding on Nigerian scholars teaching and research abilities. Seventy-two academic staff of two Institutions of Higher Learning participated in the study. Data was collected using a self-developed instrument designed to ascertain Tetfund fundings influence on the lecturers motivation and commitment to teaching and research. The result of the simple regression analysis conducted revealed that Tetfund funding statistically significantly predicted teaching and research. The study concludes that Tetfund financing is crucial in teaching research in Nigerias academia. It is recommended that tertiary institutions encourage their academic staff to access the funding fully.


Author(s):  
NATALYA REINHOLD

<p class="Abstract">Basing herself on the local statistics, the author draws an outline of the current state of things in the Russian foreign language (FL) and translation/interpreting (T/I) job market. In particular, she focuses on the issue of compatibility of the market and business demands for the FL and T/I graduates with the respective degree programmes at the Russian institutions of higher learning. Her findings bring up a patchy picture of the state of things in tertiary education (e.g. the out-of-date curricula, the old-fashioned courses, etc. at some institutions, and the dynamic, progressive and innovative developments at other schools). It is on the latter that she focuses primarily. Her case study is the MBA programme in FL/TI, and Business, which was designed at the RSUH institute for the in-service continuing education.</p>


Author(s):  
Moyo Mlungisi ◽  
NyathiVuyiswa Sandra

Quality education in Zimbabwe has remained one of the major demands in the system. This has therefore seen the majority of both academic and non-academic staff in institutions of higher learning advancing themselves in various courses and programmes. This study hence was conducted to explore opportunities and challenges experienced by adult individuals as they further pursue their studies. It was a case study of one tertiary education institution conducted within the framework of a qualitative research paradigm and also influenced by the human capital theory. Semi structured questionnaires and interviews were used to generate data from 20 participants that were purposively and conveniently targeted for the study. The major findings revealed that staff in tertiary institutions envy to advance themselves education wise. However, their efforts are being derailed by several challenges which unfold themselves socially, academically and economically, among others. The results further revealed that issues of institutions policy on manpower development were a cause of concern. Ultimately the study concluded that continued adult education in the 21st century is quite pivotal despite the challenges that these adults encounter. Recommendations put forth in the study, therefore include reconceptualization of institution policy on manpower development, availing financial resources and a variety of schemes for adult education


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Yusuf Lukman

Institutions of Higher Learning in South Africa annually face challenges that often lead to student protests and demonstrations, mostly at the beginning of every academic year, which adversely impact the smooth running of academic programs. Stakeholders’ expectations were at the apex of causes that destabilise the academic environment, academic almanac and the overall academic professional reputation. The volatility of this kind retards productivity and negatively affects many tertiary institutions across the Country. This empirically grounded paper focuses on conflicting variables amongst universities, but with reference to an Eastern Cape University in South Africa spread across its Campuses. Adopting the post-positivist approach, this study obtained data from over 180 respondents and the data was analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics, including analyses of variance and Pearson Product Moment correlations. In addition, content analysis techniques were used to analyse the data collected from the unstructured questionnaire. In this empirical study the findings highlighted two major variables that gave rise to conflicts, escalation of strikes and demonstrations at Higher Institutions of learning and recommend a conflict management style apposite for handling the conundrum. The factors dealt with in this study are not peculiar to the institution studied, but  are analogous to other institutions. The findings also underscored Integrating conflict management as the most commendable style for managing conflicts at institutions of higher learning.


Author(s):  
Roger L. Geiger

This chapter reviews the book The University of Chicago: A History (2015), by John W. Boyer. Founded in 1892, the University of Chicago is one of the world’s great institutions of higher learning. However, its past is also littered with myths, especially locally. Furthermore, the university has in significant ways been out of sync with the trends that have shaped other American universities. These issues and much else are examined by Boyer in the first modern history of the University of Chicago. Aside from rectifying myth, Boyer places the university in the broader history of American universities. He suggests that the early University of Chicago, in its combination of openness and quality, may have been the most democratic institution in American higher education. He also examines the reforms that overcame the chronic weaknesses that had plagued the university.


1984 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 6-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethan M. Fishman

The Socratic method was the major pedagogic tool at the first great Western university, Plato's Academy, and continues to be respected, at least in theory, by teachers at our institutions of higher learning. Yet today many of Plato's heirs in the university community seem to hold several perhaps innocent but nonetheless serious misconceptions concerning the Socratic technique. As a political scientist interested in the history of political philosophy, I have developed some thoughts on this subject in response to repeated inquiries by colleagues and students alike.One popular inaccuracy describes the Socratic method as an openended question and answer process. Actually, the Socratic approach has a singular purpose, namely the search for truth, and it is this explicit goal rather than an informal procedure of give and take which distinguishes the Socratic method from other teaching techniques.


Author(s):  
King Costa

Postgraduate students in South Africa and other parts of the world, particularly in developing nations struggle to complete the research component of their studies. According to the National Development Plan ( 2013) it has become a requirement for South African institutions to play a pivotal role in knowledge production so as to transform South Africa from a resource-based economy towards a knowledge-based economy.&nbsp; In pursuit of meeting this requirement and further to increase subsidy from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), South African institutions of higher learning have been on the drive for recruiting postgraduate students en masse. One of the main problems facing South African institutions is that the number of students enrolled does not correspond to those who graduate at the end of the postgraduate programme study period. &nbsp;This study is a systematic review of literature on challenges in postgraduate supervision and further proposes a possible solution.&nbsp; Five South African institutions of higher learning&rsquo;s postgraduate throughput data is carefully studied and substantiated by previous research on postgraduate supervision challenges on these particular institutions. Study findings present challenges related to research capacity development and burden of supervision at these institutions.&nbsp; Collaborative methods of supervision such as the C.O.S.T.A model are hereby proposed as possible solutions to the current throughput problem in South Africa.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-158
Author(s):  
Douglas B. Reynolds

During and after the Financial Crisis of 2008, many institutions of higher learning have had revenue and budgetary reductions, forcing them to make severe university budget cuts and university reductions in force.  Often the university cuts are preceded by a process of evaluation of academic programs where institutions determine what they stand for and value.  One option, when forced to downsize, is to use a business model, such as Sullivan (2004) explains, where high-value, low-cost programs are kept and low-value, high-cost programs are cut.  However, a business model of education does not reflect the true social value of education or the importance of arts, sciences and humanities, where students learn how to struggle with, write about and understand the world.  John Henry Cardinal Newman’s (1852) treatise, The Idea of a University, suggests an alternative strategy of cost cutting that has to do with deep knowledge, i.e. keep the oldest programs in existence on a given university.  Using the deep knowledge concept, a university will cut young (junior programs) first and retain old (senior) programs until the very last, rather than deciding cuts based on a business model.  The deep knowledge concept emphasizes a Socratic ideal where professors and students wrestle over concepts, such as the meaning of “beauty.”


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