Journal of Education and Development; Vol. 6, No. 1; March, 2022 ISSN 2529-7996 E-ISSN 2591-7250 Published by July Press 38 Stakeholder Mobilisation for Language Policy Planning in South African Education Rachel Moyo 1 1 Department of Communication Sciences, Central University of Technology, Free State, Welkom, South Africa Correspondence: Rachel Moyo, Department of Communication Sciences, Central University of Technology, Free State, Number 1 Mothusi Road, Welkom, South Africa. E-mail: rmoyo@cut.ac.za Received: December 8, 2021 Accepted: January 4, 2022 Online Published: March 30, 2022 doi:10.20849/jed.v6i1.958 URL: https://doi.org/10.20849/jed.v6i1.958 Abstract Language barriers to teaching and learning in South Africa persist. The current study analyses the extent to which stakeholders have been involved in policy planning of language in South African Education system to develop a conceptual model of stakeholder mobilisation for language policy planning in education. This is in the light of literature, indicating inadequate stakeholder consultation in the planning of language policy for teaching and learning in both the basic and higher education sectors. Sources consulted in this problematic subject include language policy documents, databases, newspapers and journals to find the latest developments for the past 10 years, cognisance of transformations and policy changes. One significant finding is inadequate stakeholder consultation. One notable argument in literature is that students are neither proficient in the second language nor in their mother languages. However, major barriers to proficiency include negative attitude towards indigenous languages, a lack of equivalence of lexicon between English and indigenous languages, inadequate expertise in languages, as well as systematisation and implementation of policy. A conceptual model of stakeholder mobilisation for language policy planning that seeks to influence positive attitudes towards languages of teaching and learning is thus developed. Keywords: stakeholder mobilisation, indigenous languages, English second language, teaching and learning, language barriers, language policy planning 1. Language as a Vehicle for Communication The hegemonic use of English and Afrikaans in the Education system in South Africa has been considered worrisome, hence the continued language policy reviews. Some researchers argue that educating students in a language that they do not understand increases the risk of failure and thwarts linguistic diversity (Nyika 2015; Sleeter 2010). It is interesting to note that the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) (2018) insinuates most students entering university face a dilemma that they are neither fully proficient in English nor in their own mother tongue, or their preferred language of learning in South Africa. Therefore, language policy planning could be more successful if guided by empirical findings on how language impacts performance and by stakeholder perceptions of languages of instruction in learning and teaching. Notably, due to the ongoing language policy reviews in the South African education system, there is no synthesis of stakeholder voices on the languages of teaching and learning (Lo T&L). Suffice it to say, effective communication is the basis for successful human transactions. Efforts have been made at pedagogic and content levels, to address the language barrier in teaching and learning in South Africa. However, if the language policy planning is not effectively communicated, all the other efforts could be in vain. Apparently, language support structures are available mainly for the English language in most Higher Education institutions. This contradicts the Department of Higher Education and Training’s (2018) observation that students are also not competent in their own mother tongues. According to Grayson (2009), developing the cognitive academic language proficiency needed for successful tertiary studies takes at least five years. This sounds an unachievable objective since many normal academic undergraduate programmes take three years to complete in South Africa. Therefore, an argument for a dual model from foundational levels is rational as it could be one way of improving proficiency in language. It is concerning that more than two decades after attaining independence in 1994, the South African Education system is still striving towards effective language models for teaching and learning. Thus, the current study seeks