2.1 Introduction
2.2.4 Multiculturalism
The notion of multiculturalism is used either as a description of a state of affairs, or as a normative account of what is considered desirable or undesirable social policies. The term 'culture' refers to a way of life, or, as Eliot noted (in Clark, Forbes and Francis, 1993: 59) it covers all characteristic interests of a people and for him, each racial group has its own culture. This then shows that we live in a multicultural society whereby like most other societies in the world today, a multicultural society is one in which different groups adhere to different ways of life (Clark, Forbes and Francis, 1993: 59).
Multiculturalism is a harmonious metaphor for fashioning a concept of nation by rejecting the notion of assimilationist ideology. More emphasis should be given on 'equality of respect', 'the equivalence of cultures' and 'the benefits of cultural diversity'. Government policies should be formulated in such a way that they respond to that diversity. Apartheid education didn't at any stage promote cultural tolerance among cultural diverse people. Thus, in South Africa it is the politics of apartheid and the history of apartheid education which is seen to ensure that multicultural education has a core place in educational discourse. Most people look at multicultural education as a radical alternative to apartheid education (Moore, 1994:84).
2.2.5 Multicultural education
The term 'multicultural education' means different things to different people (Ryan, 1993:135) It is not a subject (for example history) to be studied but an approach to education which acknowledges and appreciates differences amongst learners and seeks to create equal educational opportunities for all learners by ensuring that the total school environment reflects the diversity of groups in classrooms, schools and the society as a whole (Banks, 1994:4).
Sleeter (1992: 8) highlights the relevance of and necessity for multicultural education. She states that: "Some argue that multicultural education is divisive.
To me, multicultural education means listening to and taking seriously what diverse learners are saying about themselves and the conditions of their lives then acting on what we learn, to build a better system for us all. Failure to do this is divisive. "
An education system that ignores the cultural variants of its learners is therefore doomed to failure.
Like in many other countries, the demand for multicultural education in South Africa arises out of oppression which is seen to have important cultural connotations. Michael Cross (in Moore, 1994:252) states that "In countries like the United States, Britain, Canada, Sweden and Australia multicultural education has come onto the educational agenda as one strategy to counteract what has been seen to be a process of cultural suppression and/or cultural assimilation. It has been a struggle for the recognition of minority cultures." In South Africa the demand for multicultural education has arisen out of the struggle against segregation and apartheid education. Everywhere multicultural education owes its origins to the resistance struggles of people against oppression. It is important to recognise this because it helps us to ask of any particular multicultural education policy or programme, how this will actually help people in their struggle for justice.
Multicultural education has a major role to play in helping us achieve a national reconciliation. What apartheid has done is to elevate cultural differences to a primary principle for organising society. It has segregated people into supposedly cultural enclaves. It has created mono-cultural schools. This whole process has hidden us away from each other and bred ignorance and mistrust. It has also fostered cultural nationalisms which it has rewarded with measures of power.
This has helped to turn ignorance into virtue and suspicion into open violence.
Now, as the old system begins to break down and people start to move out of their cultural enclaves the urgent need is for a curriculum which helps us along the path of national reconciliation by breaking down the old myths, ignorance, suspicion, prejudice, fear and fundamental disrespect This will not be achieved by a papering over of our cultural differences.
The post-communist experience in Eastern Europe shows us just how disastrous are the consequences of under-estimating the strength of culturally defined identities and culturally based nationalisms. Ifwe do not deal creatively with this issue in South Africa then people here too are likely to throw self-protecting national boundaries around themselves. The researcher believes that, in South Africa, a curriculum which values diversity, tolerance and appreciation of cultural differences and which also helps learners manage cultural differences productively without resorting to violence or self-protecting isolationism, is needed. Multicultural education has the phenomenally difficult task of trying to bring people out of their isolation and to help them relate to one another without suppressing their differences. Cultural differences in a multicultural classroom must be appreciated and tolerated. It must not be seen as a problem to be
overcome, but as enrichment and an advantage in a classroom of culturally diverse learners.
2.3 Characteristics of multicultural education
Multicultural education should be viewed not only as a specialised area of education but also as a general approach to education which has several generally accepted features (Lemmer and Squelch, 1993:4) Amongst others, it:
• recognises and accepts the existence of different cultural groups;
• provides for various aspects of human diversity;
• acknowledges the claim made by different cultural groups to equal rights in society;
• seeks to promote interaction and cooperation amongst learners of different cultural groups;
• advocates equal educational opportunities for all learners;
• recommends the use of a variety of teaching strategies and teaching methods to cater for the diverse teaching styles and background of culturally diverse learners;
• regards the cultural diversity of learners as an asset and not as a handicap;
• instills in all young people confidence and pride in their own cultural roots and linguistic repertoire;
• extends social relationships across cultural groups and develop an appreciation of other cultures;
• counters the damaging effects of ethnocentricity; and
• counters the presence of overt racism in the schools where cultural minorities are present and throughout the country.
The virtue of pupil diversity is emphasized by Fullimwider (as quoted by Knutson, 1993: 114) when he states: "The different languages, religious beliefs, national origins, and intellectual traditions students bring to the school are potential sources of cross fertilization and mutual earning. Encountering a diversity of views and perceptions lets learners stretch their imaginations and expand their horizons. Itmakes them more cosmopolitan and less parochial, more
thoughtful and less close-minded. Thus, the school should welcome the kind of diversity that lets students grow and learn from one another."