In Conversation With Xolani Fakude- SADTU Secretariat officer
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The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU) has reaffirmed its long-standing call for the decolonisation of South Africa’s education system, particularly the history curriculum, following the release of a draft curriculum for Grades 4 to 12.
The proposed curriculum, currently open for public comment, signals a potential shift towards a more African-centred approach to teaching history. It aims to move beyond what critics describe as a traditionally Eurocentric narrative, incorporating African perspectives, oral histories, and pre-colonial contexts that have historically been marginalised in formal education.
SADTU argues that for decades, the way history has been taught in South Africa has failed to fully reflect the lived experiences, contributions, and perspectives of African people. The union believes that reforming the curriculum could play a critical role in fostering national identity, social cohesion, and critical thinking among learners.
The proposed changes also revive debates around making history a compulsory subject throughout the schooling system. Advocates argue that compulsory history education can help young people better understand the country’s past, engage with contemporary social issues, and contribute meaningfully to democracy. Critics, however, warn that curriculum reform must be carefully balanced to avoid political bias or the exclusion of other global perspectives.
This conversation takes place within a broader national dialogue about transformation in education—how knowledge is constructed, whose histories are prioritised, and how education can address the legacies of colonialism and apartheid.
As South Africa navigates these reforms, the key challenge lies in ensuring that curriculum changes are inclusive, balanced, and academically rigorous, while still addressing historical inequalities in knowledge production.
The proposed curriculum, currently open for public comment, signals a potential shift towards a more African-centred approach to teaching history. It aims to move beyond what critics describe as a traditionally Eurocentric narrative, incorporating African perspectives, oral histories, and pre-colonial contexts that have historically been marginalised in formal education.
SADTU argues that for decades, the way history has been taught in South Africa has failed to fully reflect the lived experiences, contributions, and perspectives of African people. The union believes that reforming the curriculum could play a critical role in fostering national identity, social cohesion, and critical thinking among learners.
The proposed changes also revive debates around making history a compulsory subject throughout the schooling system. Advocates argue that compulsory history education can help young people better understand the country’s past, engage with contemporary social issues, and contribute meaningfully to democracy. Critics, however, warn that curriculum reform must be carefully balanced to avoid political bias or the exclusion of other global perspectives.
This conversation takes place within a broader national dialogue about transformation in education—how knowledge is constructed, whose histories are prioritised, and how education can address the legacies of colonialism and apartheid.
As South Africa navigates these reforms, the key challenge lies in ensuring that curriculum changes are inclusive, balanced, and academically rigorous, while still addressing historical inequalities in knowledge production.
