Abstract
In 2014, South Africa celebrated 20 years of democracy. Within these 20 years of democracy, there were many changes in the education sector. The teaching of history, particularly South African history, has survived many challenges during and after apartheid. During the apartheid era, to a certain extent the teaching of South African history was subjected to political abuse and became a springboard of politicians to justify the existence of the racial divide that had previously engulfed the country. Equally, the study offers critical and epistemological criticisms levelled against the teaching of South African history in secondary schools in the post-apartheid era. The selected criticisms include, inter alia, the question of the relevance of history in post-apartheid South Africa; the limitations of further political abuse of the discipline by educators, as well as the politicians; the lack of analytical skills in the teaching and interpretation of historical facts; and the notion of further perpetuating the racial divide in the country which was once riddled by such divisions. Epistemologically, earlier selected criticisms which took place during the apartheid era will also be referred to, to demonstrate that the teaching of South African history has always been subjected to criticisms that advantaged the then ruling National Party’s (NP’s) government in South Africa. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p2303
Highlights
The study departs from the premise that contemporary society is dominated by the demand for science and technology, by postulating that the role and place of history should not be understated as it plays an important role in shaping and moulding people and the societies in which they live
The study provides a unique opportunity as it revisits the criticisms levelled against the teaching of South African history in the post-apartheid era
The researchers in this study tend to agree with Apple and Christian-Smith (1991: p4) where they state: “Textbooks embody the selective tradition - it is always someone’s selection, someone’s vision of legitimate knowledge and culture, one that in the process of enfranchising one group’s cultural capital disenfranchises another’s”
Summary
The study departs from the premise that contemporary society is dominated by the demand for science and technology, by postulating that the role and place of history should not be understated as it plays an important role in shaping and moulding people and the societies in which they live. In order to understand the complexities of the teaching of South African history in the post-apartheid era, it is important to recognise the reciprocal forces behind it. During this period, education in South Africa was consciously designed on a two-tier system: excellent schools for the whites and less-thanexcellent schools for black South Africans. The study provides a unique opportunity as it revisits the criticisms levelled against the teaching of South African history in the post-apartheid era. There is no consensus on these criticisms by all stakeholders involved in the teaching of South African history
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