A quarter of a century of enthusiastic collaboration between Afrikaans teachers, subject advisors and literature lecturers at the Western Cape will culminate at the annual Letterkunde Ondersteuningskomitee (LOK) gathering at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) this weekend.

Once again, hundreds of Afrikaans teachers from the province, and even Gauteng, will engage in conversations around the theme of ‘quality’ education. In 1997, at a meeting between UWC’s then Department of Afrikaans and Dutch (now Afrikaans and Dutch Studies), the subject advisor and UWC alumnus, Richard Stanley, the seed for this long-standing partnership was sown. The impetus was the amalgamation of the old education authorities in the Western Cape and the renewal of the school curriculum of Afrikaans literature.

The department wanted to ensure continued commitment to the subject. Many teachers were trained at the department, and many former students are now subject advisors in Afrikaans at the Western Cape Education Department.

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In a follow-up meeting in 1997, it was decided to tackle future inclusively and involve more expertise in the field. This saw the expansion of an existing UWC project aimed at producing study guides for prescribed works under the auspices of Professor Wium van Zyl. An annual symposium led by Professor Ronel Foster from the University of Stellenbosch's Afrikaans department formed the basis of a much larger gathering for literature teaching on all levels. 

The University of Cape Town hosted the first gathering, organised by Professor Chris van der Merwe, and various university lecturers and senior teachers delivered papers and conducted workshops. Almost all schools in the region participated.

Over the years, there have been many changes. Authors of prescribed works were included as speakers, including acclaimed author Anoeschka von Meck who penned Vaselinetjie. Organisations such as the Afrikaans Taal- en Kultuurvereniging (ATKV) and the Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans (SBA) at times assisted, and publishers exhibited their study materials.

In 1998 UWC was chosen as the venue of choice for the LOK symposium. Over the years, chairpersons, including Christopher Banda, spearheaded the organising of the event. Janine Pekeur (nee Hannibal), the administrator in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch Studies at UWC, now plays a pivotal role in the event's success.

LOK has become a space where knowledge and insight are shared, and valuable networks are formed among colleagues. The late Jan Rabie, a great benefactor of UWC, would undoubtedly have approved of the LOK Symposium. Rabie said Afrikaans is "the greatest non-racial achievement of this southern land". 

*The LOK Symposium will take place on 25 February 2023 at UWC’s Jakes Gerwel Hall. For images from LOK 2020, see the gallery below. (Images courtesy Western Cape Education Department)