The Director of Language Planning and Development, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa has said that for African societies to progress immensely, it need its own language to compete with other continents.
Professor Khumalo disclosed this while speaking on ACALAN TV after an interactive 2 Days workshop with the theme “Comprehensive and Interactive Platform and Bridging the 6’ Gap Between the Computer and the African” organized by the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) on 2nd - 3rd of October, 2019 in Bamako, Mali.
In his statement, the South African Linguistics expert said “I think this platform would indeed help to promote African languages because they would be part of the global and citizens of languages that are in the cyberspace that are available as digital resources, available internationally through the platform”.
“Not just that, they would be available for research by any linguist or any computational linguist, anyone who is developing technology for African languages. So, they would be languages that are going to be available through a sophisticated digital platform” Prof. Khumalo said.
While speaking on how African policy makers and stakeholders can reposition African languages “I think it is important to develop African languages, and any development need a framework. So, language policies are very important for the development of African languages. And these policies must be very clear that African languages are important as vehicles of teaching and learning, science and innovation and economic progress”.
Professor Khumalo stated that Africa will not progress if Africa is still merit to colonial languages, languages that suppressed the development of Africa in the first place.
He further stated that “In order for African societies to progress, African need its own language, and language in a human progress provides you with the cognitive capacity and critical thinking for you to innovate and you can only innovate in your language”.
“The professor however said that African languages are important for Africa progress and every African states must have a comprehensive African language that situate African language policies as language of progress, development, teaching and learning and science and technology.
The ACALAN 2 Day interactive workshop was enlivened by experts across African countries to include former Minister of Education, Republic of Mali and the Executive funding of ACALAN, Mr. Adama Samassekou; Representative of UNESCO, Mrs. Dorothy Gordon; Academician, Professor Marcel Diki-Kidiri; Director General CICIBA, Professor Antoine Manda Tchebwa; ACALAN Executive Secretary, Dr. Lang Fafa Dampha; Director General AMALAN, Professor Boniface Keita; Representative of Mali Government and Chief of Staff to the Minister of Communication, Usman Bombay; Expert, South Africa, Professor Langa Khumalo; SPPO ACALAN, Dr. Ojo B. Johnson; Expert Mali, Mr. Houssein Ahmed Assowe; Mr. Issiaka Ballo, Expert Mali; Dr. Odejobi Odetunji, Lecturer, OAU Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria; Professor Moses Ekpenyong, University of Uyo, Nigeria; Dr. Lawrence Muchemi; Mandela Doncoure; Yoette Kowassy; Angela Herman Kilusungu; Martin Benjamin; CEOAfrica Director and ACALAN TV Expert, Mr. Cletus. S Ilobanafor among others.
