Key Takeaways
- Sesotho is a marginalized language in the Western Cape, with limited resources and support for teaching and learning.
- Only two primary schools in the province offer Sesotho as a language of instruction, and there is a shortage of textbooks and learning materials in Sesotho.
- The literacy crisis is stark, with only 38% of Sesotho home language pupils meeting the reading benchmark by grade 4.
- The Western Cape education department recognizes the importance of multilingualism, but the marginal role of Sesotho in the province contradicts national policy.
- Communities with sizeable Sesotho-speaking populations are seeking alternatives for their children to learn and preserve their language and culture.
Introduction to the Challenges of Teaching Sesotho
Teaching is a challenging profession under any circumstances, but instructing in Sesotho is particularly tough in the Western Cape, where English, Afrikaans, and isiXhosa dominate. Ntomboxolo Nomxhego, a grade 3 teacher at Hopolang Primary School in Khayelitsha, describes her daily grind, which includes preparing lesson plans and translating English textbooks for her Sesotho first language learners. This is a common experience for teachers of Sesotho, as there is a lack of resources and support for teaching and learning in this language.
The Scarcity of Resources and Support
Hopolang Primary School is one of only two primary schools in the province that offers Sesotho as a language of instruction. The other school is Lehlohonolo Primary in Gugulethu. After primary school, Sesotho pupils can continue with Sesotho as a subject at Fezeka High in Gugulethu, Uxolo High in Khayelitsha, or Ilingelethu Secondary in Malmesbury. However, the scarcity of textbooks and learning materials in Sesotho is a significant challenge. Teachers must read physics textbooks and then translate and make notes in Sesotho before going to class, which is a time-consuming and laborious process. The shortage of textbooks and quality Sesotho teaching affects many regions, but Sesotho’s marginal status in the Western Cape exacerbates the issue.
The Literacy Crisis
The literacy crisis is starkly evident in the Funda Uphumelele National Survey (FUNS) benchmarks. Only 38% of Sesotho home language pupils nationally have met the reading benchmark by grade 4, compared with 46% across all 11 official languages. The survey notes significant inequalities in the likelihood of reaching benchmarks by language, province, gender, and socio-economic status. The Western Cape ranked second-highest across languages overall, but this largely reflects the province’s more favorable socio-economic context. The disparities extend to book ownership and publishing, with 97% of English-speaking households owning at least one book in their language, compared to only 52% of Sesotho-speaking households.
The Marginal Role of Sesotho in the Western Cape
The marginal role of Sesotho in the province contradicts the national policy of encouraging mother-tongue bilingual instruction in all 11 languages. While the Western Cape education department recognizes Afrikaans, English, and isiXhosa as the main provincial languages, it is committed to supporting marginalized languages. The department has partnered with higher education institutions, non-governmental organizations, and local community stakeholders to strengthen capacity for multilingual teaching and to broaden the supply of materials and teacher training where there is a need. However, the lack of resources and support for Sesotho is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed.
The Importance of Preserving Sesotho Language and Culture
The presence of isiXhosa speakers in the Western Cape is historically entrenched, and the Basotho community is seeking alternatives for their children to learn and preserve their language and culture. The Basotho maintain cultural traditions like initiation schools and King Moshoeshoe commemorations, which attract Basotho-speaking people across the Western Cape. Communities such as Worcester, Langa, Gugulethu, Mfuleni, and Nyanga have sizeable Sesotho-speaking populations, despite Stats SA’s 2022 census recording that Basotho constitute only 1% of the total Black African population in the Western Cape. The Basotho community is cynical about the census, saying that many Basotho speak isiXhosa too, and that the census counts home languages.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the challenges of teaching Sesotho in the Western Cape are significant, and the marginal role of Sesotho in the province contradicts national policy. The scarcity of resources and support, the literacy crisis, and the lack of preservation of Sesotho language and culture are all significant challenges that need to be addressed. The Western Cape education department and other stakeholders must work together to support marginalized languages like Sesotho and to provide resources and support for teaching and learning in this language. By doing so, we can help to preserve the Sesotho language and culture and promote multilingualism in the province.