Page 33 - Transformation Report

4. Language Policy

Increasing emphasis has been placed on the critical role of writing and reading development and multilingualism in enhancing
student learning and academic success. Linked to the national call for multilingualism, the University hosted the sixth meeting
of the USAF-initiated Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of African Languages (CoPAL) in 2018. The
main objective of CoPAL is to promote and strengthen the teaching and learning of African Languages in public universities
in South Africa. The T&L portfolio and a special project group initiated a series of ‘courageous language conversations’
across all faculties and divisions. The purpose of these conversations was to explore and acknowledge how members of
different faculties think about language, language ideologies, and multilingual practices. The data that emerged from these
conversations was analysed and informed the revision of the language policy. The Language Working Group has completed,
but has not yet finalised, its draft Language Policy and research report. The Institutional Forum has supported the draft policy,
with further consultations to be conducted in 2021. In addition to the language policy review, language and writing support
are provided to students through multilingual glossaries and tutorials, writing respondents and consultants, and academic
writing support interventions. An App for academic writing and referencing (Refer Easy) was developed in 2018 and launched
in February 2019 has formed part of language and writing support services for students.

5. Enhance Teaching and Learning Environment for Students with Disabilities

The University has successfully institutionalised the Universal Accessibility and Disability Services (UADS) Unit. During the
period under review, funding received from the Strategic Resource Allocation Committee was used to implement the following:
• Appropriate staffing establishment and organisational design
• Council budget allocations
• Stabilising the leadership of the Unit
• Rebranding and ensuring that its name fits its mission.

As the change champions and agents, the UADS established both internal and external partnerships to support its objectives.
To this end, some of the milestones achieved during the period under review include:
• Development of the guidelines for universal online teaching as part of supporting students with disabilities to
participate via online learning. This presented an opportunity to ensure that equal support for student
learning during the COVID-19 lockdown period was observed.
• Migration of its student development support programmes to online platforms, with ongoing monitoring and
support provided to students with disabilities conducting their online studies.
• Painting of the stairs with contrast colour across all campuses as part of an ongoing effort to create a conducive
environment for students with disabilities, especially due to an increase in the number of reports by students with
visual impairment who fell on the stairs owing to poor demarcation.
• Investing R402 000 (funds received from First Rand Foundation) to upgrade computer software, for the period of 2
years, to ensure that visually impaired students can access computers in computer laboratories and libraries.
• Launching of a Community of Practice in Uitenhage aimed at empowering out-of-school youth with disabilities
and parents raising children with disabilities. This community work is being conducted in partnership with an
organisation active in the Uitenhage community. The focus of this organisation is to eliminate the myth that people
with disabilities are not capable of working.
• Upgrading of assistive technologies to better enable visually impaired students to access their learning materials.

To improve universal access across our campuses, the following infrastructural interventions were implemented:
• 4 disability lifts were installed
• 16 entrances were renovated to align with universal accessibility standards
• 36 ablution facilities were renovated and/or constructed to align with universal accessibility standards
• 47 ramps were built to ensure access to buildings across the various campuses

The gaps identified in the historical audits conducted continue to be addressed.

33 TRANSFORMATION REPORT