Deadline looms for public input on new history curriculum

NATIONAL NEWS - There are just a few days left for the public to have their say on South Africa’s proposed new history curriculum for schools, as the deadline for submissions is set for 20 April.

The draft Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (Caps) for history, published for public comment by the Department of Basic Education on 20 March, proposes a significant shift in how the subject is taught in classrooms.

At the centre of the proposed changes is a move away from a largely Eurocentric approach towards a more Afrocentric focus. The draft places greater emphasis on African and South African history, including pre-colonial societies, indigenous knowledge systems, and resistance to colonialism.

Earlier efforts

This overhaul stems from recommendations made by a ministerial task team appointed in 2015 to review the role of history in schools. However, efforts to reshape the curriculum date back even further. The late Kader Asmal first introduced the idea of decolonising the history curriculum in 2001 through the South African History Project.

Government has framed the proposed changes as a way to promote social cohesion and strengthen learners’ understanding of the country’s past. Education Portfolio Committee chairperson Joy Maimela said the revised content is more comprehensive and reflects a broader range of historical perspectives.

“Instead of detailing a story of the colonisers arriving, the story talks about resisting wars and reflects on the kings, heroes and heroines pre-colonialism,” Maimela said in an interview with eNCA. “If we understand who we are, it creates better social cohesion.”

During the same interview, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the draft tells the story of South Africa long before European contact. “We got rid of Jan van Riebeeck at least 25 years ago, but what happens in the classrooms can sometimes be very different,” she said, adding that many of the practitioners involved in earlier reforms are part of the current process.

Criticism

Despite broad support for transformation, the draft has drawn criticism. In an online article by Prega Govender of News24, a professor of education at Stellenbosch University, Jonathan Jansen, has described the proposals as “anti-intellectual” and “soul-deadening”, warning they could undermine education standards.

Through its spokesperson, Alana Bailey, the lobby group AfriForum has also raised its concerns about balance. Bailey argued that while learners often have limited knowledge of South African history, the curriculum should prioritise local and national history before expanding to broader continental content.

She cautioned, however, that an overly broad or ideologically driven approach could confuse learners, stressing that history should remain grounded in objective, evidence-based study. Bailey also warned that governments may shape curricula according to their own narratives, and encouraged parents and learners to supplement school material with additional sources.