Unique contributions of the study

When contextualising the perspectives provided by all the participants within the social and historical context of language choices for the education of Black South African students, it appeared that the perspectives of the EO participants and those of the BZ participants were framed by ideologies of different eras. The perspectives of the EO participants were similar to those of the colonial and apartheid eras while those of the BZ participants were more in line with the objectives of the national multilingual policy as well as with UKZN’s move to a bilingual policy (Banda, 2000; Heugh, 2000; Ministry of Education, 2002; Reagan, 1987; UKZN Language Policy, 2014; van Dyk, 1967). Recommendations put forth by this study are thus formulated to address this.

5.3.1. Recommendations for Research

There needs to be further research exploring the ways in which school learners and teachers, tertiary students and lecturers, as well as other stakeholders who are directly affected by language policies for education, perceive language use, relevance and choice in South Africa, and how their perceptions affect language policy changes and implementation processes. History has shown that social perceptions of Western and South African indigenous languages have been the basis of the choices behind which languages are chosen for education, economic use, and development during the colonial and apartheid era, and during the early years of the democratic era ( (Banda, 2000; Heugh, 2000; Phillipson, 1996; Skutnabb-Kangas, 2009; van Dyk, 1967). Now that the government and some SAPIHEs are making concentrated efforts to elevate the use, development and esteem of ISALs, research needs to explore social perceptions and perspectives nationally and institutionally that may facilitate or hinder the implementation of this inclusion. This future research should also focus on steps other countries, whose indigenous languages were previously marginalised, have taken to develop and elevate their esteem. One of the closest examples that could be studied is how Afrikaans was very quickly elevated to the same level of use and esteem in South Africa a century ago (Reagan, 1987). Research that concentrates on how mother tongue and bilingual instruction facilitate a better acquisition of knowledge, also need to continue and study this process in SAPIHEs where ISALs are now officially being used to teach and learn. Furthermore, research into language development and how dialects have changed over the years also needs to be conducted. Questions around which of the different dialects of a single language ought to be retained or adjusted need to be researched.

5.3.2. Recommendations for Theory

Pedagogical theories on the role of language in education, that are widely cited by South African language policies and studies, were developed in European countries. Studies that have been undertaken in the African context ought to reconceptualise these theories to reflect the uniqueness of African history and social processes.

5.3.3. Recommendations for Policy

Reported conflicting perspectives on the national and institutional language policies indicate that there is a need for studies that explore what informs these perspectives and how discussions towards an agreement can be facilitated. EO participants in this study expressed great frustration with what they perceive as a lack of communication from UKZN management regarding the policy content and implementation plans. Negative perspectives reported in the

media also display the students’ and community’s ignorance regarding the policy (de Vos, 2013; Mashele, 2013; Molefe 2013a, 2013b; Ndimande-Hlongwa, 2010; Rudwick, 2015; Taunyane, 2013). Policy evaluation needs to gauge the effectiveness of the communication of UKZN's policy with all its stakeholders within the institution and in the wider community. Some of the EO participants, for example, recommended that management could host festivals, campaigns and discussions to hear how students perceive the policy, instead of leaving them feeling alienated.

5.3.4. Recommendations for Interventions

The perspectives and concerns raised by the EO participants indicate that they do not seem to understand why the policy is now bilingual, how it will affect students – directly during their academic career, and indirectly their capabilities in their future career – and what impact the intended processes of bilingual tuition could have for South African society at large. For the new language policy to be implemented successfully, students need to be willing to be taught in bilingual tuition. They need to understand why this is important in their learning processes, why and how it is beneficial for them (Granville et al., 1998). If they perceive the policy as impeding their acquisition of a higher education that can facilitate their entry into their intended profession and subsequent upward socioeconomic mobility, they could either protest against the implementation of the new policy or pursue their education in alternative higher education institutions (Figone 2012; Makhele, 2016). UKZN management has changed the language policy based on certain theories and ideologies regarding current and future educational, economic, and societal benefits (UKZN Language Policy, 2014). This study recommends that UKZN management work with stakeholders on reformulating their perceptions of the use and relevance of Western and ISALs, and identify ways to best implement bilingual instruction at the institution. The BZ participants’ emphasis on a greater focus on translations of academic materials is also recommended by this researcher. These translations should be in collaboration with students and not just academics and professional translators who are removed from the learning contexts of the students.