Language in agriculture

In South Africa, there are 12 official languages. And while these languages should be celebrated for representing diverse cultures, it does make it difficult to include everyone equally at all times.

- Janine Ryan

South Africa is a nation with a diverse array of languages and cultures. As it currently stands, the country recognises 12 official languages. As a result, most South Africans are bilingual, or even tri- or multilingual.

While this is reason to celebrate, with many studies having shown that bi- or multilingual people show greater problem-solving skills and improved memory, not all South African learners, whether at school or university, have access to mother-tongue learning.

International Mother Language Day was established by UNESCO in 1999 and has been observed annually on 21 February since 2000.

The day commemorates the 1952 Bengali Language Movement in Bangladesh, where students were killed while protesting for the recognition of Bengali as an official language. It highlights the importance of linguistic diversity, multilingual education and the preservation of mother tongues worldwide.