A brief background of the state and evolution or transformation of education before 1994 follows.
2.2.1 The state of education under apartheid
The separatist system of education operating during the apartheid era was based on racial principles. The system was therefore fragmented and provided poor quality, unequal, and inferior education to its citizens. To enhance the separatist policies the government of the day established separate departments of education for each of the four recognised population groups namely, Blacks, Coloureds, Indians and Whites. The separatist system promoted the acquisition of rudimentary skills among the African learners to fulfil the needs of the labour market. Funding for education for each of the population group was also based on an inequitable model (Christie, 2002). The White learner was allocated the greatest amount while the African learner received the least with the Indian and Coloured child receiving proportionately more than an African child. This discrepancy in the funding model had an
26 impact on the different aspects of the education system of each of the different racial groups.
For example, it influenced teacher education, school infrastructure, teacher-pupil ratios and teachers’ salaries. This in turn affected classroom practice, which ultimately impacted negatively on learner performance, especially at the Grade 12 level (Asmal & James, 2002).
In the mid 1970s and 1980s the dissatisfaction with the poor quality of education that Black South Africans received led to heightened protest actions. The most prominent of these was the Soweto uprisings of 1976. These protest actions continued and increased in the 1980s.
Simultaneously, various initiatives and committees developed in order to address and lead the struggles in education in communities around the country (Kraak, 1999). One such initiative was the National Education Policy Initiative (NEPI) which conducted its work under the auspices of ‘People’s Education’ (NEPI, 1993).
‘Peoples Education’ advocated the following:
The democratisation of education through the participation of a cross-section of the community in decision-making on the content, quality, and governance of education.
The negation of apartheid in education by making education relevant to the democratic struggles of the people.
The achievement of a high level of education for everyone.
The development of a critical consciousness.
The bridging of the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical life.
The closing of the chasm between natural science and the humanities, and between mental and manual labour, with an emphasis on worker education.
Some of these ideas became firmly entrenched in South Africa’s post-democratic education.
Other examples of initiatives, commissions and organisations included the following:
The National Party government advocated the rationalisation of the number and variety of school syllabuses, the development of core learning areas, and an emphasis on vocational education (Jansen, 1999).
The National Training Board (NTB), which produced an education policy document referred to as the National Training Strategy Initiative (NTSI) which proposed the formation of an integrated system of education focusing on the form that South Africa’s curriculum and assessment policy should take. The NTSI stated that the South African system of education needed a paradigm shift “from thinking about education and
27 training as separate entities to thinking about learning as a lifelong process” (NTB, 1994).
One of the strategies proposed by the NTSI was a National Qualifications Framework (NQF), allowing for an array of qualifications drawn from a range of education and training pathways. The NQF became the crucial point of the proposed education and training policy. Young (1996) argued that it would have far-reaching consequences in the following respects:
* The traditional boundary after matriculation between academic and vocational will be thwarted. By doing this it was hoped that the social divide between the so called ‘elite’ academic institutions and the perceived ‘inferior’ vocational institutions would not exist. Hence, technikons are now referred to as Universities of technology.
* The result of such changes would allow more learners to study at tertiary institutions, which was previously not possible. Hence, educational resources could now be available and accessed by previously disadvantaged learners.
2.2.2 Education in a democratic South Africa
The new government of South Africa experienced several challenges in education after the first democratic elections in 1994 as a result of the legacy of apartheid education. Some of these challenges included:
The existence of nineteen racially and ethnically fragmented departments of education operating in South Africa.
Several certification bodies in the formal education sector and the lack of an umbrella quality assurance council.
An inadequate teacher education system, especially in so-called ‘Black’ colleges of education.
Unqualified and under-qualified teachers.
Despite these challenges, the State had to design appropriate policies and put in place systems that could deal with high levels of illiteracy, dysfunctional schools and universities and develop a credible curriculum that could promote ‘unity and common citizenship and destiny for all South Africans irrespective of race, class, gender or ethnic background’ (ANC, 1994, p. 68).
28 Two significant pieces of legislations played a crucial role in ensuring that this could be achieved. Firstly, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) ensures that the rights of all citizens are protected and promoted. As far as education is concerned, the Constitution ensures that everyone has the right to:
A basic education, including adult basic education; and
Further education, which the State, through reasonable measures, must make progressively available and accessible.
Secondly, the promulgation of the National Education Policy Act (NEPA) (No. 27 of 1996) was important because it allowed for the formulation of a national curriculum in both the general and further education and training policies, for example in areas such as curriculum, assessment and quality assurance. The objectives of NEPA make provision for example:
Developing skills, disciplines and abilities necessary for reconstruction and development.
Recognising the aptitudes, abilities, interests, prior knowledge and experience of students.
Encouraging independent and critical thought.
Promoting inquiry, research and the advancement of knowledge.
It is important to note that all the above mentioned provisions are also reflective of reforms in science education and are therefore of particular significance to this study.
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