Thutong: South African Education Portal

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Challenges in Curriculum Transformation in South Africa (138 Kb)

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The curriculum transformation process in South Africa was initiated after the 1994 elections, and has been steadily implemented since then. Structures, processes and policies have been increasing in their presence over the 10-year period to promote and implement the policy. There have been many public and academic debates about the policies, the structures and processes and implementation of this programme.

This paper asserts that this process has contributed significantly to the deconstruction of the Apartheid Education Curriculum consisting of Fundamental Pedagogic and Anglo-American traditions, and has begun the process of reconstructing the curriculum to serve the needs of democracy, and South Africa’s 21st century needs. The key argument in the paper is that the curriculum transformation process so far has challenged the authoritarian and inhibiting effects of Fundamental Pedagogics and the English-speaking curriculum tradition and introduced a more 21st century, humane, and democratic knowledge framework. The paper looks at the issues of policy clarity, gaps, resource constraints, pace of implementation and others that have arisen from the implementation of Curriculum 2005 (C2005), the Revised National Curriculum Statements (RNCS) and the continuation of the NATED 550 syllabus, particularly with reference to their impact on curriculum transformation.

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