The college was also closed for classes about a month ago when students boycotted classes because they were unsatisfied with the language policy. At that stage the council agreed that all classes should be presented in English to restore the peace. Afterwards, it went back to its 50/50 policy, where classes were taught in English and Afrikaans.
Petro van Rhyn, Western Cape department of agriculture spokesperson, told Farmer’s Weekly that the college council had instituted a task team to engage with students and key stakeholders to facilitate the development of a new language policy.
“We realise that having a class of forty minutes [where] the class is presented in Afrikaans during the one half and English in the other half is not working. In future we plan to have two separate classes, one in English and one in Afrikaans. Students can then choose which one they want attend,” she said.
Van Rhyn doesn’t foresee that any of the staff will be fired, but that more black staff will be appointed as positions become vacant.