IsiXhosa Intellectual Traditions (IsiXIT) Digital Archive

DUTCH AT EXAMINATIONS. P ROSPECTIVE candidates for the Elementary Teachers' Certificate are much indebted to the Superintendent-General of Education for dispelling the misapprehension under which many were labouring, that the Dutch language would be made a compulsory subject at the examination next year. The following letter from Dr. DALE will speak for itself:— Department of Public Education, Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, 24th August, 1885. The Editor of Native Opinion. SIR,—Your article of 19th instant, about changes in the requirements for the Elementary Teachers' Certificate has been written under some misapprehension. I have made no such change as you refer to ; and Native candidates may be satisfied that the requirements remain the same as heretofore. It is very desirable that every Native candidate should be thoroughly proficient in his own language, as well as fairly proficient in English. Yours faithfully, LANGHAM DALE. Of course we readily and gladly accept the Doctor's assurance. To clear ourselves from the suspicion of wilful misrepresentation, we may, however, give the report of what took place in the House of Assembly, and on which we based our comments. On August 3, under the title 'Examinations for Teachers' Certificates,' the Cape Times reports:— In reply to Mr. THERON, Mr. TUDHOPE said the Dutch language had for the first time been made obligatory in examinations for teachers' certificates, but on representations being made by the heads of several institutions and the teachers that there was not time enough to enable the English-speaking candidates to master the Dutch language in this examination, the obligation of it had been postponed till next year. Mr. TUDHOPE, as Colonial Secretary, is the Ministerial head of the Department of Public Education, and therefore our comments were made in good faith. We are very sensible of the service Dr. DALE is rendering te the public in keeping them well posted up in the affairs of the useful department over which he so ably and worthily presides. What an amount of bad blood would be prevented if all our officials were like-minded with Dr. DALE!