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/ 6 September 2005

Making a mensch

"When they leave our school at some stage," says the principal of United Herzlia Schools, Geoff Cohen, of his learners, "hopefully they leave as a mensch." That last word — mensch — captures something of the cultural diversity that the term "Jewish" embraces. It’s not Hebrew. It’s Yiddish, a language dating back to the Middle Ages spoken by Jews in Eastern European countries.

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/ 6 September 2005

Mother-tongue education in a twist

Some significant legal and political victories for mother-tongue education were gained in the recent past. In relation to Afrikaans in particular, there was Mikro Primary School’s successful defence against court action by the Western Cape department of education to enforce its language policy on the school governing body.

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/ 6 September 2005

A chance to be heard

There’s a promising opportunity that you should make the most of: a public inquiry into the right to basic education will be held next month. It’s being conducted by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), motivated by what it describes as “the numerous problems currently being experienced” in education.

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/ 6 September 2005

Which comes first: Constitution or common law?

A woman accompanies her boyfriend to a party. They quarrel. She walks to find a telephone to call her mother to collect her. She comes upon a petrol station where she seeks to persuade the attendant to allow her the use of the phone. As this negotiation proceeds, a police car draws into the petrol station. A sergeant in full uniform enquires as to her problem and offers to drive her home.