The slowly turning wheels on Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE) finally stopped

Abstract

It was déjà vu in South Africa for scholars, particularly in language education, when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the implementation of the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act and the Mother Tongue-based Bilingual Education (MTbBE) this year. The announcement came at a favourable time, as the world prepared for UNESCO’s celebration of International Mother Tongue Language Day on 21 February 2025. Advocacy for multilingualism has been a topic of interest for many years, and the slow wheels have turned in response to the call of MTbBE. However, the readiness of the South African Education system to accommodate MTbBE remains an unsolved puzzle. This article underscores the role of MTbBE in multilingual contexts, highlighting linguistic diversity as a fundamental human right. The study adopted a qualitative research method through a literature review by evaluating existing language ideologies and language practices that challenged the unfinished project of decolonial education in South Africa. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of language ideologies and policy lag that condition multilingualism and its implementation in MTbBE. At the same time, it proposes practical strategies such as translanguaging to respond to multilingual needs.