The Impact Of Apartheid On Education In South Africa

INTRODUCTION

South Africa has a long history of colonialism, oppression and racial segregation. This essay focuses on the impact Apartheid had on education in South Africa. Up until 1940 (and beyond), the South African government deliberately provided second-rate education for non-whites. Schools for non-whites were the responsibility of the churches and missionaries, who financed them and received no funding from government (Booyse et al, 2011: 199). After South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994, the democratic government acknowledged the need to transform the country's education system to develop an education system fit for purpose and this led to social, cultural, economic and political empowerment many, as well as offer direction

In 1944, the government appointed the Eiselen commission led by EC Wilks to look at African education. The commission was in support of delivering instructions in schools in the mother tongue of the learners. It also focused on secondary school learners who could not adapt to the high standards that would lead to matric (Booyse et al, 2011: 198). The commission found that people of color being taught in their mother tongue meant students could probably stay in school until matriculation or that performance would improve because they would have a better understanding of the coursework taught. Parents could choose the medium of instruction. It could be English, Afrikaans or Dutch. It also focused on secondary school students who could not adjust to the high criteria required for matric (Booyse et al, 2011: 198). A solution to this, the commission found, was to offer different and separate courses in schools. This meant that one school would have a practical course for learners planning to leave when they reached the school-leaving age, a commercial course for girls, a technical course for boys and a course that would enable learners to apply for university (Booyse et al, 2011: 199).With all the challenges people of color faced trying to get an education, it was quite an achievement and a

However, unlike pre-1948, segregation became part of the national legislation. Acts were passed that took away the freedom and basic human rights of non-whites. This meant that the inferior education that non-whites were receiving was now legal, making it much harder to fight and eradicate. In addition, there were negative consequences for individuals breaking the law by fighting for equal education (Lemmer, 2010). The racial divide and inequalities system became much worse, in 1953, when the government passed what is known to one of the most offensive laws in South Africa’s history, the Bantu Act (South African History Online, 2011). The main purpose of the Act was enforcing and legalizing segregated educational facilities and to protect and maintain the “cultural and social way of life” for white people while denying non-whites the same educational opportunities and resources enjoyed by white South Africans” (Overcoming.msu.ed). This also degraded the history, culture, and identity of black people through an educational system that promoted racial stereotypes and myths through its educational resources. The Bantu act led to the closure of most missionary schools which were neglected by the government, whereas white schools were well looked after and financed (Fiske and Ladd, 2004). Most mission schools closed by choice