Abstract
D.Ed.
The era of change in which the Republic of South Africa
presently finds itself requires that its past be reconciled
with the present as well as future expectations. This situation
has a direct bearing on the teaching of history as a subject.
History is locked in a battle regarding a true presentation of
South Africa's past.
It is essential that a new basic motive or "leitmotiv" be
identified, which can serve as a nucleous for an historical
consciousness and produce a new image of history.
A "leitmotiv", such as the one which was operative during the
apartheid era, and which not only produced a politically
manipulated and ideologically biased version of historical
events, but also endeavoured to enforce a singular identity
upon the South African population, is presently unacceptable.
Research clearly indicates that an alternative historical
image, which is acceptable to the entire South African nation,
as well as the various population' groups, has become a
neccessity.
Such new historical image must clothe South African citizenship
with a new quality and serve as a thrust for the new democratic
dispensation.
Communication and consensus are required in order to reconcile
the various existing historical images. A charter of human
rights in conjunction with a communal value system, should
serve as the basis for a new national identity.
The effect of the existing obsolete historical image is that
sillabus content has thus far not been selected in accordance
with accepted curriculum principles. This resulted in a
unidimensional approach to syllabus content, and a one-directional
teaching orientation which created the opportunity for
indoctrination. The development of an historical consciousness
in the true sense of the word in the minds of pupils, has also
been sacrificed for political objectives.
Synopsis 2
It is also clear that a new "leitmotiv" must be chosen with
sensitivity to the needs and demands of the South African
population as a whole. It must also be synchronised with the
shift in the country's future perspective. This perspective is
often verbalised by the new leadership as a quest for the
establishment of one truly democratic nation in South Africa -
a perspective which will not only accommodate the totality
but also the diversity of the population.
As a result of this study, a "leitmotiv" with a product
(content) component on the one hand, and a process (skill)
component on the other hand, is proposed for the teaching of
history. The process component will act as a continuous
internal corrective for the product component.
Furthermore, a teaching approach, which will serve as an
external corrective for the "leitmotiv" as a whole, is being
suggested.
It is proposed that democratic nation building
constitute the main theme for the teaching of history
future South Africa, or serve as the product component
new "leitmotiv".
This proposed "leitmotiv" implies a purging action on three
levels. In addition to the purging action of the process
component as internal corrective, and the new teaching approach
as external corrective, democratic nation building, as product
component, will act as a purgative in itself.
In conjunction with its purging qualities, the proposed
"leitmotiv" will, for the first time, accommodate the essential
nature of history as a subject; in its totality. with such
"leitmotiv", history could in future be elevated to a true
"magistra vitae".