Rethinking South African Higher Education Institutions Role Towards Curriculum Restructuring

Abstract

The article shed light on the crucial process of restructuring the curriculum and emphasized the need for proactive engagement, despite the challenges that impede effective learning and teaching. The transformation of education in South Africa is a topic that deserves more attention, particularly considering the positive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which accelerated the integration of technology into learning and teaching worldwide since 2020. This acceleration has prompted urgent changes in various operational aspects of higher education institutions (HEIs). The main focus of this article was to highlight how higher education institutions should approach the restructuring of the curriculum to ensure sustainable transformation. Although the need for this transformation has long been recognized, there has been limited resistance against the prevailing Eurocentric model upon which South African university’s foundational academic organization is built. The author argued that despite efforts to counter Eurocentrism, the South African educational system remains dominated by it in all aspects. To assess the role of higher education institutions in promoting effective learning and teaching through curriculum restructuring, this theoretical paper thoroughly examined the topic of restructuring the curriculum at South African universities. The theoretical framework for this study drew upon the principles of socio-cultural theory, curriculum development and the role of HEIs in curriculum reform. These approaches aim to comprehend how higher education institutions sustain and perpetuate exclusion through Eurocentric epistemology and pedagogical practices. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the struggle to normalize higher education must continue. The article emphasized the ongoing need for change and transformation in higher education institutions to address the deficiencies caused by Eurocentric influences and ensure an inclusive and effective learning environment. Keywords: Higher Education Institutions, Socio-Cultural Theory, Curriculum Development, Decolonisation, Transformation