Glendale High peer educators had much fun learning about the importance of their mother languages when they marked International Mother Language Day in collaboration with Rocklands Library on Friday February 21.
Image: Alicia English
Glendale High care and support assistants and peer educators marked International Mother Language Day in collaboration with Rocklands Library a fortnight ago.
International Mother Language Day was first initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2000 to protect and advance linguistic diversity and mother tongue languages. This year's theme was "Languages Matter".
While there are 7 000 languages spoken globally, only 351 are being used in education.
According to Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, a study carried out in 22 African countries has shown that fewer than 20% of children are educated in their native language.
Janay Gilbert from the Western Cape Education Department’s Metro South District, who is a care and support assistant based at Glendale High, said many pupils do not realise the importance of mother tongue instruction.
"I asked the peer educators if they know what it is and none of them could answer me," she said.
Nonyaniso Kotyi, senior librarian at Rocklands library, encouraged Glendale High's peer educators to embrace their mother tongues.
Highlighting, among others, the endangered Khoi language in South Africa, Ms Kotyi said many older generations have failed to pass on the love for mother languages to preserve it for future generations.
"It is important for us to speak our languages so that we can preserve our mother tongues. Knowing how to read and write your language allows you to express yourself," she said.