The making of South Africa's National Curriculum Statement

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

76 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper explores the social construction of the Revised National Curriculum Statement (Grades R-9) in South Africa between 2000-2002. The author, a participant in the process, uses the experience of the insider to tell the story. The paper discusses the relationship of different lobbies, voices, and interests to the curriculum, and argues that a neat translation between interests and curriculum outcomes is not possible, but that the echoes of struggles, which take both a material and symbolic form, are evident within the final version. The paper describes the influences of a vocational lobby, environmental and history interest groups, university-based intellectuals and non-governmental organizations, teachers' unions, and the Christian Right. It contends that there was no neat alignment of interests; they were sometimes internally fractured and alliances were unstable over time.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)193-208
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Curriculum Studies
Volume37
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2005

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The making of South Africa's National Curriculum Statement'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this