African philosophy (of education) and post-apartheid South African schools: a critical analysis of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement

Thokozani Mathebula

doi:10.18820/2519593x/pie.v37i1.2

Abstract

In South Africa, indigenous (African) knowledge is at the heart of a single detailed national Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (2012). Against this background, the study on which this article is based, examined two long-standing genres of philosophy: Western philosophy, as a critical academic discipline and African philosophy, as a collective worldview. The article shows that universal philosophy and, by implication, a universal knowledge system transcends these seemingly particular, opposite and irreconcilable Euro- centred and Afro-centred schools of thought. In doing so, the article proposes that universal philosophy as an inclusive, rational and reflective practice makes it possible to merge Western and African philosophies to form a single knowledge system. Unfortunately, the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement emphasises indigenous African knowledge systems – thus, regresses to narrow African provincialism. In the end, the author (re)establishes a universal knowledge system as a sound African philosophy of education in post-apartheid South African schools.

Highlights

There are three main concepts that underpin this article, namely Bantu philosophy1 Western philosophy2 and universal philosophy3.Bantu philosophy, is [a] single system and unique to [African people]
The author looks at the meaning and features of Western philosophy, African philosophy and universal philosophy
What is likely to give African philosophy a disciplinary character? Bensusan (2016: 255) notes that philosophy is a discipline for two reasons: it involves beliefs about the world that are singularly different from mythical or ideological beliefs; and it investigates the world using distinct concepts, principles, assumptions and methods. But only in this sense, it seems to the author we can speak of African philosophy as a single, universal discipline – a concept of African philosophy of education that the author advocates for in the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS)

Summary

Introduction

There are three main concepts that underpin this article, namely Bantu (popular) philosophy Western (academic) philosophy and universal (single) philosophy. Bantu philosophy, is [a] single system and unique to [African people]. Ethno-philosophy [one aspect of Bantu philosophy] exemplifies an essentialist/particularist orientation, while academic philosophy constitutes a paradigm case of universalism (Horsthemke, 2015: 18). “knowledge of African” and “knowledge of the West”) – anchoring universal knowledge as a professional discipline. In light of this integration, the study on which this article is based, argued that:.

Methodology

What is Western philosophy?

What is African philosophy?

What is universal philosophy?

African and Western knowledge

Conclusion