Mother Tongue: South African University To Make Zulu Language Compulsory For All Students

By Palash Ghosh. A prominent university in South Africa will make learning the Zulu language compulsory for all incoming students starting next year, the first time the country’s higher education sector has ever made such a move to impose the teaching of an indigenous African language. The University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban called the measure a “watershed” moment in its history, requiring students to be at least bilingual in order to obtain their degrees, regardless of their field of study. UKZN explained that the decision would encourage “social cohesion” and promote "nation-building and [bring] diverse languages together" in a country still divided by race and culture. Read more...