1.  Establish a legal and policy foundation for MT-based bilingual education and the introduction of a third language.

1.  Synchronise the proposed policy with LiEP and the draft national Language Policy and Plan (DACST).

2.  Classify all schools as Single-(L1or L2), Dual- or Parallel-medium.

3.  Select appropriate schools in each EMDC for the pilot project. Include new schools.

4.  Determine appropriate schools in districts for ‘clustering’, to share and transfer scarce skills and resources.

5.  Review and adapt current planning policy for the location of schools to counter past race/language divisions.

6.  Orientation of Head Office and EMDC managers and educator support services to the new language dispensation.

7.  Draft an Operational Plan taking into account the linguistic implications of proposals in the Report.

1.  Immediate.

2.  Jan 2003 on.

3.  Nov 2002 – Jan 2003.

4.  2003 ongoing.

5.  Immediate.

6.  2003 ongoing.

7.  Early 2003.

1.  Re-orientate and re-skill educators (teachers):
           on a pilot basis, on site
           for schools’ implementation in 2005, at HEI’s.

Note:
(i)  Regular short-term INSET courses in language subject content and pedagogy to be conducted on an EMDC basis, eg teaching methods (didactics) for teachers in the Foundation Phase should be revised and upgraded.

(ii)  English-proficiency courses for mainly ex-DET Xhosa-speaking educators, and

(iii)  Xhosa-language courses for educators from mainly ex-CED and ex-HOR schools, to be offered.

2.  Recruit new trainees for the profession, especially (but not only) Xhosa-speakers. Provide bursaries.

Note:
(i)  All PRESET courses to be adapted to the new orientation, and all new trainees to learn to teach in at least 2 of the 3 local official languages. The Bilingual Language Proficiency Endorsement to be reintroduced in the AE, AX and EX combinations.

(ii) All trainees to learn the First 200 Basic Signs of Sign Language for the Deaf.

3.  Plan carefully, and negotiate with SGB’s and professional bodies, the redeployment of educators in accordance with linguistic and content knowledge. To be phased in gradually.

4.  Recruit and train selected educators in writing, proof-reading and translating in the 3 local languages.

5.  Train selected educators in LSM production (unilingual and bilingual).

6.  Train, via short-term, intensive courses, at least 1 educator per school in how to run a school ‘library’.

7.  Provide support to schools in the development and implementation of a written language policy.

1.  Feb - June 2003.
From July 2003 to coincide with phasing-in stages.

2.  Nov 2002 – Feb 2003, and then ongoing.

3.  2004 - 2008.

4.  April 2003 on.

5.  2003 ongoing.

6.  2004 ongoing.

1.  Establish Xhosa focus groups and other quality control mechanisms to assess translations and other text.

2.  Provide encouragement and support for the specialised training of Xhosa-speaking personnel of Publishers and NGO’s in translating, editing and proof reading.

3.  Conduct a language-based audit of needs for LSM’s.

4.  Place orders for books and other learning materials.

1.  By mid-2003.

2.  2003.

3.  Immediate

4.  Early 2004 for 2005.

1.  Establish a structured Liaison Committee with representatives of Publishers, Booksellers and NGEO’s.

2.  Liaise with Eastern Cape Education Dept. on the production and distribution of Xhosa-language LSM’s.

3.  Consult with HEI’s and NGEO’s on the alignment of PRESET and INSET course offerings with the new language policy.

4.  Negotiate Cooperation Agreements with Library Associations and NGO’s for the provision of materials and basic training for educators in how to run and stock a school library.

5.  Undertake, in association with the Western Cape Language Committee, a Language Mapping exercise in the province, involving a large-scale survey of schools, educators, learners and communities.

1.  March 2003.

2.  June 2003 on.

3.  Immediate.

4.  Ongoing.

1.  Plan for, and initiate, a comprehensive province-wide campaign to inform stakeholders and win support for the proposed policy. This entails:

(i)  Defining the message (what are the issues, what are the research findings, what is the comparative experience elsewhere, what are the objectives of LiEP, how do these contrast with the discredited Bantu Education language policy in terms of motivation and outcomes?)

(ii)  Identifying the target groups (political decision-makers, communities, SGB’s, parents, principals, educators, learners).

(iii)  Structuring the message to suit the target group.

(iv)  Choosing the appropriate media (including WCED personnel, high-profile and influential individuals, TV and community radio, video and audio material, printed text).

Note:  Great sensitivity must be shown to the wishes, aspirations and fears of parents and communities in the light of recent negative experience.

2.  Constitute a panel of WCED personnel and academic researchers to translate this report into Afrikaans and Xhosa to make it more readily accessible to stakeholders.

1.  2003 - 2008.

1.  Appoint a costing agency and researchers to work with WCED units on a costing exercise, using the criteria identified in this Report and Implementation Plan. (training and re-training of personnel, resources and facilities, incentives, awareness campaigns, translations…)

A minimum of 3 scenarios should be presented, for example, encompassing a 3, 5 or 10-year phase-in period.

1.  Implement in selected schools, covering all language classifications, school-sizes and locations (in all EMDC’s).

1.  2004