The elephant in the classroom: Rhodes University champions epistemic access on International Mother Tongue Day

By Siqhamo Jama

 

How do we move beyond simply opening the doors of learning to ensuring that every student who walks through them truly understands the knowledge being shared? This critical question anchored a recent International Mother Tongue Day dialogue. The event was hosted by the Rhodes University School of Languages in collaboration with the Cultural, Religious and Linguistic (CRL) Rights Commission.

For an institution deeply committed to developing critical problem solvers and socially responsible citizens, multilingualism is not merely a passing conversation. It is a central pillar of the Rhodes University Institutional Development Plan (2025-2028). The gathering brought together government leaders, passionate academics and dedicated students to confront the systemic barriers of language in education and to explore pioneering digital solutions.

Moving from passion to policy

Professor Siphokazi Magadla, the Dean of Humanities at Rhodes University, opened the dialogue by reflecting on the historical burden placed on multilingual tutors. For years, these individuals carried the hidden responsibility of translating complex academic concepts after formal English tutorials. Today, the University is actively shifting this narrative.

Through initiatives like the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP) Language Development Project, Rhodes University is embedding multilingual approaches into its very structures. Professor Magadla emphasised that mother tongue preservation must align with modern innovation. "To think about mother tongue languages and their intersection with technology is timely because all languages must reflect the modes of communication and connection of their times," she noted.

She proudly announced the upcoming launch of the isiXhosa translation of Steve Biko's classic text I Write What I Like – a testament to the University's dedication to making powerful knowledge accessible across generations.

Language as a constitutional Imperative

The connection between language, dignity and heritage was profoundly illustrated by CRL Rights Commissioner Xolisa Donna Makoboka. Returning to her alma mater, she reminded the audience that the protection of native languages is a democratic imperative rather than a convenient option.

Commissioner Makoboka painted a vivid picture of how exclusion begins when a learner cannot grasp concepts in their native tongue. Conversely, inclusion flourishes when identity is respected. She called on the youth to take ownership of their linguistic heritage in the digital age. "International Mother Language Day reminds us that multilingualism is not a problem to be solved," she declared. "It is a resource to be embraced and tapped into."

The splendour and power of native tongues

Author and African Language Studies Fellow Professor, Ncedile Saule, brought an impassioned academic lens to the celebration. He challenged the colonial labels placed on African languages and advocated for the proud reclamation of the term ‘Ntsundu’ (native).

Professor Saule urged universities and leaders to move beyond theoretical debates about decolonisation and to actively modernise native languages. He beautifully articulated the diverse, expressive power of South Africa's native tongues, illustrating that they are fully equipped for complex academic and scientific discourse. "Our languages can do everything and anything," Professor Saule affirmed. He urged society not to simply borrow English terms but to confidently develop indigenous vocabularies.

Epistemic access and the AI frontier

The keynote address by Dr Naledi Mbude-Mehana, Deputy Director-General for Transformation Programmes at the Department of Basic Education, delivered a sobering reality check. She identified language as the "elephant in the African classrooms" and argued that the true crisis in education is a lack of epistemic access. Physical access to a classroom means very little if the knowledge inside remains locked behind an incomprehensible language barrier.

Dr Mbude-Mehana boldly pointed out that underperformance in the country is deeply tied to language and class. To combat this, she stressed the urgent need for academia to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI). Teaching AI systems to understand and process African languages will create the digital tools necessary to support teachers and learners alike.

A unified vision for the future

The dialogue served as a reminder of Rhodes University's ethos of fostering academic excellence, social responsibility, and critical engagement within a supportive, diverse community. True scholarly teaching and learning cannot exist in a vacuum of a single dominant language. By embracing AI-driven strategies, celebrating linguistic heritage and demanding structural change, the Rhodes University community is ensuring that its motto, Where Leaders Learn, holds true for every student in every language.