Push for ‘de-colonised’ history
Motshekga gives green light to re-appoint ministerial task team
Basic education minister Angie Motshekga has approved the re-appointment of the history ministerial task team to look into developing a new history curriculum that was more “afrocentric” and “de-colonised”.
The task team in December last year released a report recommending a complete overhaul of the history curriculum and assessment statement (Caps) from Grades 4 to 12. The team also recommended that the subject be made compulsory up to Grade 12 and that African history be given priority.
At present, pupils do history up to Grade 9 and then may choose to drop the subject.
Basic education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the team was to ensure that the new history curriculum was representative and covered multiple perspectives, “rather than one main dominant and distorted narrative”.
“The re-appointment of the team is the next step towards decolonisation of the education system in South Africa by overhauling the curriculum, making it more afrocentric and relevant to South African learners,” said Mhlanga.
The new terms of reference for the task team will include:
● Developing a new history curriculum from Grades 4 to 12;
● To conduct provincial consultation in the education sector and obtain inputs into the new history curriculum;
● To receive inputs and comments for consideration on the new history curriculum;
● To screen textbooks to ensure alignments with the new curriculum; and
● To propose history teacher development programmes.
In a media statement released on Tuesday, Mhlanga said the team would comprise the same team initially assembled to conduct the feasibility of making history a compulsory subject.
“The team will once again be led by Professor Sifiso Ndlovu, who has now been given the mandate by the minister to set the direction of history education for the country going forward,” said Mhlanga.
According to Motshekga, there has been a lot of excitement and anticipation regarding the overhaul of history education in schools, which has been characterised by many as perpetuating a colonial or western perspective.
“I have absolute faith in the team of experts that are going to be forging the way forward in terms of how we teach our young people about the past. I believe that a comprehensive, well-rounded and accurate teaching of history will help our learners understand themselves better and assist the country in moving forward together,” said Motshekga.
The report was a culmination of research and consultations conducted over two years.
Some of the recommendations was that history should be made a stand-alone subject in all grades and not be part of life orientation, stating that should the two be merged there would be a degradation of the skillsbased approach and a loss of rigorous inquiry.
It also recommended that African history needed to be given the depth and breadth it deserved and that “stone history” be collapsed.
“The initial comparative study was increased by including countries such as China, India, Russia, Brazil, Nigeria, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. They managed to identify areas of weakness and ways to strengthen the curriculum content,” said Mhlanga.