After almost three years of deliberation, the Department of Basic Education has announced that, as of 2023, high schools across South Africa will adopt History as a compulsory subject up until matric, while Life Orientation (LO) will be scrapped.
A team appointed by the department investigated the possibility of implementing the new curriculum, focusing on African civilisations and the effects of slavery and racism, as experts argued that the current system is biased towards Westernized schools of thought and omits African nationalism and black consciousness.
This team has now presented its report to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, recommending an overhaul of the current curriculum to make it more Afrocentric, based on a curriculum model used in Ghana.
The team recommended that these changes be phased in by 2023, allowing schools to prepare for the new curriculum.
According to reports, Motshekga was relieved that the team did not focus on post-apartheid history and said there would be no “ANC-fication” of history, nor would history be written to benefit the “ruling elites”, but rather to empower citizens.
Motshekga explained: “History should, by design, enable learners to be active citizens – including being able to engage critically with the truths of colonialism, apartheid, and the liberation struggle. Young people should be empowered with values, attitudes and behaviours that contribute to nation-building, social cohesion and national reconciliation. This kind of knowledge will enable the 21st century generation to comprehend the nexus between global and national citizenship. Our rich history and heritage ties us together. The History curriculum should be relevant not only for the market place, but also for the decolonisation of the African mind.”
Thereby, LO will only be compulsory until Grade 9, and from Grade 10 until matric, learners would have to take History. The department has suggested a focus on African history and international history, making up papers 1 and 2 respectively, for learners to write in their final matric exams.
Vilasen Padaychy, Principal of Himalaya Secondary School said, “I believe that it is a necessary change, but it all depends on how long the implementation of this revised curriculum would take. I'm sure many learners will be thrilled about the change, given that many feel LO is not beneficial.”
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga says there is no attempt to rewrite history to benefit the ANC.
Himalaya Secondary School Principal, Vilasen Padaychy, said the change is necessary.