Language gap hits students at university

Higher education institutions cannot be responsible for linguistic deficiencies. The real change needs to start at school level

- Sithembile Magwaza

South Africa is celebrated as a rainbow nation, rich in linguistic and cultural diversity, with 12 official languages reflecting its complex heritage.

Despite this multilingual reality, English — a language spoken by the minority of the country’s population, which means the majority of students enter university level having studied English as a first additional language — remains the dominant language of teaching and learning in education institutions (from the intermediate phase in primary school to tertiary level).

While these first additional language (FAL) learners may have passed English in high school, they often arrive at university without the level of language proficiency required for academic success. Many struggle with reading dense texts, drafting coherent essays and expressing themselves fluently during discussions. This language gap raises serious concerns about fairness, access and meaningful participation in higher education.

The challenges faced by English FAL learners at university have their roots in the structure and implementation of the basic education system. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) distinguishes between two language levels — home language and first additional language.

Learners at the home language level are expected to develop both interpersonal communication and cognitive academic skills that support learning across the curriculum, with strong emphasis placed on listening, speaking, reading and writing.

This level also aims to develop learners’ “literary, aesthetic and imaginative skills”, enabling them to engage creatively and critically with the world around them.