From the time Bismarck and his pals decided to dismember the continent, Africans have engaged in an endless struggle to put the pieces back together. At the core of this process is reclaiming language, culture, identity and a unique way of being in the world.
Nowhere is the failure of action more pronounced than in the education of the African child.
To ensure that we are not left behind in the global economy, South Africa’s education system, like many others in the developing world, aligns its curriculum with technically quantifiable outputs. In the process, the equally important goal of building a humane and caring society is thrown out the window. All we are interested in is how many competent black chartered accountants and financial managers we churn out from business schools. It does not matter much if those professionals are equally competent in immoral behaviour that includes theft, fraud and corruption.
For South Africa, education cannot only be about addressing a skills shortage. It should also build people’s sense of morality. Like any post-colonial country, South Africa needs to build a vibrant foundation for an emancipatory education, starting from the premise that education can never be politically neutral.
To show its commitment to address the lies and miseducation of the previous regime, the government formulated a National Curriculum Statement that calls for the inclusion of indigenous knowledge systems in education. But implementation of this policy is seen by many as an extracurricular activity, akin to gumboot dancing or singing Shosholoza as part of the cultural day celebration. There is more to Africa and Africans than singing and dancing. Africa’s contribution to world civilisation ranges from astronomy to nature conservation, from economics and philosophy to agriculture, to name a few.
How long will it take us to liberate the minds of African children? How much of the R95,5-billion allocated to Education Minister Naledi Pandor will be allocated to this essential lifelong project? — Mmatshilo Motsei is an author and a rural development practitioner