Historical continuities in the education policy discourses of the African National Congress, 1912-1992
Date
2015-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Education Association of South Africa
Abstract
This article considers the nature and trajectory of the African National Congress’s (ANC) education policy discourses from
its founding in 1912, until its repatriation from exile by 1992. The broad issue that this article considers is how to explain
why the ANC was inadequately prepared to address the educational challenges of a democratic South Africa. The article
considers the relationship between its political struggles against segregation and apartheid and the particular educational
focus that it favoured during this period. From its inception, the ANC was actively involved in the political arena, with the
purpose of opposing racist rule. The article suggests that its involvement in the education arena was subordinate to its
political focus, with consequences for the type of educational change and curriculum orientation that it favoured. Employing
a historical-sociological perspective, we divide ANC involvement in politics and education into two broad and distinct
periods. The first period from 1912 to 1960 examines ANC involvement within South Africa. The second period from 1960
to 1992 examines the ANC in exile. We end the article with some discussion of the ANC’s education reform trajectory from
1992 to 1995, in other words, its educational orientations during the context of political negotiations, and the first years of a
democratic South Africa. It will be argued that during both periods, the ANC focused on struggle politics that relegated
education to a position ancillary to its political struggle, which resulted in discursive continuities in its educational
orientations. Despite some contestation, these continuities were characterised by their remarkably consistent support for a
traditional liberal education across the existence of the organisation.
Description
CITATION: Govender, S. & Fataar, A. 2015. Historical continuities in the education policy discourses of the African National Congress, 1912-1992. South African Journal of Education, 35(1):Art.#901, doi:10.15700/201503070016.
The original publication is available at http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za
The original publication is available at http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za
Keywords
African National Congress, Education policy -- South Africa, Education -- Political aspects -- South Africa
Citation
Govender, S. & Fataar, A. 2015. Historical continuities in the education policy discourses of the African National Congress, 1912-1992. South African Journal of Education, 35(1):Art.#901, doi:10.15700/201503070016.