Fifty years after the Soweto uprising, are we still failing learners because of language? (opens original article in a new tab)

Fifty years after the Soweto uprising, South Africa's education system continues to face challenges with language barriers, impacting learners' academic performance, despite policies promoting mother-tongue learning and early success in bilingual education programs.

• Fifty years after the Soweto uprising, South Africa's education system still struggles with language barriers in learning.
• Many learners face academic difficulties when transitioning to English as the medium of instruction in Grade 4.
• Research shows that teaching mathematics in home languages improves conceptual understanding and academic performance.
• The MTbBE programme aims to support mother-tongue learning while integrating English, showing early positive results.