PGEF 400

Unit 1
The current SA context and education
system.
South African Education
1994 - present
27 April 1994: “New South Africa”
Social and political transformation
• EDUCATION = main artery to bring about social
transformation in SA
• EDUCATION in SA does not exist in isolation.
Linked to other contextual factors:
1. Geography
2. Demography
3. Socio-economic structure
4. Linguistics (languages)
5. Religion & Philosophy
6. Political structure
• Linked to PERSONAL transformation
1. Geography
 2. Demography
± 54 million people
• 80.2% Blacks
• 8.8% Coloureds
• 8.4% Whites
• 2.5% Indians

14 yrs and younger: 33%

Older than 60%: 7.5%

Population growth per

year: 1.5%
3. Socio-economic structure
Socio-economic structure
4. Linguistic / languages
 5. Religion & philosophy
• South Africa is a SECULAR state
• Freedom of religion
Religion & philosophy
6. Political structure
 6. Political structure
South African CONSTITUTION:
Preamble:
To ‘heal the divisions of the
past and establish a society
based upon democratic values,
social justice and fundamental
human rights’
6. Political structure (continued)
Everyone has the right to:
• Basic education
• Further education
• Education in official
language of choice
(reasonably practical)
• Freedom of
– Conscience
– Religion
– Thought
– Belief
– opinion
6. Political structure @ present
 The current EDUCATION system
GOALS OF
EDUCATION IN
‘NEW’ SOUTH
AFRICA:
• Economic goals
• Social goals
• Cultural goals
• Political goals
 Economic goals of SA education
• Eradication of
POVERTY

• Promoting
development
and productivity
 Social goals of SA education
• NON-
DISCRIMINATION
– Racial
– Gender
– Religion
– Other

• Removal of artificial
boundaries,
hierarchies,
obstructions…
 Cultural goals of SA Education
• Free to
express
cultures

• Empower to
do so
 Political goals of SA education
• Empower to participate in
process of democratic
society (“political
literacy…”)
• Nation-building
• Values:
– Democracy
– Equality
– Freedom
– Peace
– Justice
– Tolerance
– Stability
 FIVE PRINCIPLES
1. DEMOCRATISATION
– All stakeholders participate in decision making
2. DESEGREGATION
– Integration of schools
3. DECENTRALISATION
– Power no longer centralised in one spot, devolution to
sub-structures
4. EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
– All should have equal opportunities, facilities, quality…
5. MULTI-CULTURAL EDUCATION
– Cultivate respect for DIVERSE cultural, religious, language
traditions
2017: where do
we stand?
• Democratisation?
• Decentralisation?
• Desegregation?
• Equality?
• Multiculturalism?
 26,7% Unemployment rate in SA
• 5% graduates
• 16% diplomates
• 29% matriculants
• 42% lower than matric
National ACTION PLAN 2030
 Class activity

• Choose 5 goals that you would prioritise

• List them in order of priority (1 = most
important) etc.
• Explain why you have chosen these five.