Staff Reporter

The Department of Basic Education late on Thursday called for public comment on the draft history curriculum for Grades 4 to 12.

Earlier in the day, renowned education academic Jonathan Jansen blasted the proposed Africa-centred overhaul as “anti-intellectual and soul-deadening”.

In an interview with News24, Jansen also questioned why authorities had taken three decades to decide the curriculum should be Africa-centred.

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He said the shift could “undermine education standards”.

News24 reported that the draft would move away from topics such as the US civil rights movement and the French Revolution as anchor themes in favour of more African-centred content.

In a statement, the department said the documents now in the public domain were still drafts and that the process was meant to allow “structured public participation before any decision is taken on a final curriculum instrument”.

It said public submissions would help shape any further refinement of the proposed curriculum.

The department rejected criticism that parts of South African or world history could be sidelined, saying, “the public comment process is the appropriate mechanism” for those concerns to be raised “in a detailed and constructive manner”.

It added that oral history was included to “broaden the evidentiary base and recover perspectives that were previously marginalised”, while written sources and the colonial and apartheid archive, “read critically”, remained important repositories of history.

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The draft says the proposed “a new African-centred curriculum for 21st-century South Africa” that aims to build “global historical consciousness from the vantage point of Africa”. It says the curriculum draws on oral, archaeological, written, visual, linguistic and landscape sources and is influenced by UNESCO’s General History of Africa project.

The existing Grade 12 history curriculum includes the US Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr, while the draft Further Education and Training phase introduces a Grade 11 topic titled “Slavery, Slave Resistance and the Haitian Revolution” and treats the French Revolution mainly as background and comparison.

The department said the review had been underway for several years, and that a ministerial task team started working on it in 2019.

Provincial consultations were held in all nine provinces in 2023 and 2024, and the draft was later presented to Parliament’s portfolio committee, internal departmental structures, HEDCOM and the Council of Education Ministers before publication for public comment.

The gazetted notice says submissions are open for 30 days from publication.

The department said it urged educators, universities, professional bodies, heritage institutions, civil society groups, parents, and the public to study the draft closely and submit “focused, evidence-based comments”.

“Persons are invited to submit comments clearly marked for the specific CAPS document and page number,” said the department.

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It said comments should be submitted to:

The Director-General, for the attention of Florence Modipa, Chief Education Specialist: Curriculum Policy, Department of Basic Education, 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, 0001.

Or to the Director-General, for the attention of Florence Modipa, Department of Basic Education, Private Bag X895, Pretoria, 0001.

Or by email to modipa.f@dbe.gov.za.

The draft documents and comment template can be accessed via the department’s website at: https://www.education.gov.za/ArchivedDocuments/ArchivedArticles/CallforcommentsHistoryCaps.aspx

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Akani Nkuna

Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has told young people from BRICS+ countries to pursue innovation that helps preserve sovereignty and the right to self-determination, particularly in the Global South.

“Your generation must innovate with a clear-eyed understanding that the right to self-determination — the right of nations and peoples to chart their own course — is the non-negotiable foundation upon which all sustainable development must rest,” she said on Thursday.

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“This means developing indigenous technological capacity, not merely consuming platforms designed elsewhere. It means building data governance frameworks that protect African and BRICS citizens from digital extraction. It means insisting that development will be determined by the quality of our ideas, not by the politics of strongmen or the patronage of former colonial powers.”

Chikunga was speaking at the BRICS+ Youth Innovation Summit, held at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, which brought together young entrepreneurs, investors and experts from BRICS+ countries and the Global South.

The summit sought to highlight the role of youth-led solutions in shaping a sustainable future and driving economic growth.

According to Chikunga, an “intellectual rebellion” needs to be birthed to disrupt the dominant economic models of the past half-century, which she said have produced the “greatest rates of inequality in the history of humankind”.

Referring to contemporary digital tools, including artificial intelligence, the minister told young people to deploy them critically, ensuring they serve people and promote their wellbeing.

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She said there must be stronger insistence on African and BRICS participation in setting global AI governance standards, adding that “innovation in AI without democratic accountability” would widen existing disparities between the Global North and South.

“Artificial intelligence is not neutral. It is built on data that reflects existing power relations, trained by institutions with particular interests, and deployed in ways that frequently deepen rather than disrupt inequality,” Chikunga said.

The minister said that people-to-people relations rooted in cultural exchange, academic mobility, artistic collaboration and shared intellectual production were among the key areas through which innovation could be advanced and harnessed.

“I call on the youth of BRICS to build these connections deliberately. Learn each other’s languages. Study each other’s histories. Collaborate on research, on enterprise, on art,” said Chikunga.

“The innovation that will matter most in the coming decades will not emerge from isolated laboratories. It will emerge from the intersection of diverse knowledge systems, cultural traditions, and lived experiences.”

INSIDE EDUCATION

Staff Reporter

KwaZulu-Natal transport officials arrested a learner driver and an instructor at a Pietermaritzburg driving licence testing centre on Wednesday, as MEC Siboniso Duma said up to half the province’s motorists may be using fraudulently obtained licences.

Duma said on Thursday that the two were arrested at the Umkondeni Driving and Testing Centre under the province’s #NenzaniLaEzweni operation.

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“Through an intelligence-driven operation, the elite [Transport and Traffic Inspection Unit – TTIU] unit intercepted a conversation between a learner and an instructor from a private driving school about an exchange of R1800,” he said.

“The discussion was about the release of a member of the syndicate who was detained at Alexander Police Station in Pietermaritzburg,” Duma said.

The provincial Department of Transport is cracking down on fraud, bribery and corruption at driver’s licence centres and motor licensing offices.

In January, the department said the TTIU would be working alongside the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s anti-corruption unit and the Hawks to stop fraud and corruption.

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Duma said the department had studied “a corruption playbook used by syndicates in various centres across the province” and had mandated the TTIU to dismantle those networks.

“Critically, any employee of the department of transport who is involved in this racket will be dealt with harshly to set an example for others to see that the corruption game is over,” he said.

He said that the province’s next priority was “to end the sale of driver’s licences as part of stopping the carnage in KZN”.

Inside Metros

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Thapelo Molefe

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Eastern Cape have called for the resignation of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality mayor, Princess Faku, over allegations linked to the investigation into academic qualifications at the University of Fort Hare.

In a statement, the EFF said Faku should step down following claims that she fraudulently registered for an LLB degree. The allegations form part of an ongoing probe by the Special Investigative Unit (SIU).

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“The Economic Freedom Fighters calls for the immediate resignation of the ANC-deployed Mayor, Princess Faku, following revelations that she fraudulently registered herself at the University of Fort Hare,” the party said.

The EFF alleged that Faku did not meet the requirements to enrol for the law degree and accused political leaders of abusing their positions to access higher education.

“In a context where millions of young people seek to pursue higher education after matriculating and are often denied entry due to limited access and space in universities, it is disgraceful that ANC politicians in the Eastern Cape use their political and financial influence to undermine the merit-based system,” the party said.

“There are worthy young people who were denied access at Fort Hare due to Princess Faku and all ANC politicians who manipulate their way into institutions of higher learning.”

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The party said those implicated must be held accountable.

“Princess Faku and all those who are implicated in degree-fraud must immediately resign and be held responsible for undermining education, denying young people a fair chance, and stealing their university spots,” it said.

However, the ANC in the Eastern Cape has rejected the allegations.  

“The ANC has noted with great sense of disbelief and utter repugnance reckless, defamatory, and politically opportunistic utterances issued by the EFF against Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Executive Mayor, Princess Faku,” the party said.

The ANC said the university’s decision to defer Faku’s graduation had already been set aside by the courts and denied any wrongdoing by the mayor. Faku’s graduation was delayed in 2023. The Bhisho High Court later reviewed and set aside the university’s decision to defer or suspend her graduation, and she was conferred with her LLB degree in April 2024.

“Comrade Princess Faku did not fraudulently register at the University of Fort Hare, the record is clear, the law is clear, and the court has spoken,” the statement read.

The ANC said the EFF’s claims were politically motivated.

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“The EFF’s statement is not a contribution to public accountability but rather a smear campaign built on falsehoods and deliberate distortion,” it said.

“The Executive Mayor has no reason to resign over a matter that has already been dealt with by lawful and judicial process.”

The ANC has demanded that the EFF withdraw its statement and issue an apology within 24 hours, warning that legal action could follow if it fails to do so.

The dispute comes as the broader SIU investigation into alleged irregular admissions and the awarding of qualifications at the University of Fort Hare continues.

In October 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed an amended proclamation widening the scope of the probe to include the registration or admission of ineligible persons and the awarding of bachelor’s, honours, master’s and PhD degrees.

It also comes as Faku is expected to lead a planned march in East London on Friday alongside Deputy Minister of Police Polly Boshielo. The march is aimed at calling for the removal of a recently corronated Igbo king and the closure of drug dens in the California area.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Lebone Rodah Mosima

A devastating fire destroyed an entire classroom block earlier this week, affecting 320 learners in Grades 8 and 9 at the Riverlea Secondary School in Johannesburg. 

Three classrooms were destroyed when fire engulfed a block of classrooms at the Riverlea Secondary School. The fire affected a laboratory and the school library #fire #Riverlea #johannesburg pic.twitter.com/oO6067fNf5

— Nkosazana Peshwa (@NkosazanaPeshwa) April 8, 2026

Gauteng Education MEC, Lebogang Maile, visited the school on Wednesday and conducted a walkabout to assess the extent of the structural damage.

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Maile said that the affected learners are currently being accommodated in the school hall as the school works with the District Office on an interim arrangement.

Maile believes the school burning was deliberately carried out, arguing that this act shouldn’t be justified.

“There can be no justification to burn a school – doesn’t matter how angry people can be,” Maile said. 

“We can’t and we must never try to make it appear like it’s reason enough to do something like this. It’s criminal, it’s unacceptable.”

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He mentioned that, despite reports from community activists about the incident, only a few of these activists are suspected of being involved in setting the fire.

“You’ve got a lot of community involvement and activism, but there are those elements – we must isolate them, identify them and deal with them, decisively,” he said.

“Those are criminals, they can’t be entertained, so they must be locked in jail.”

The Gauteng Department of Education added that although three other classrooms were not destroyed, they remain unusable for now due to smoke damage and will require cleaning before they can be occupied.

Maile further said that the department has engaged with school management on the “immediate interventions required to support the school community, including temporary alternative accommodation for the learners, and on the way forward to restore the affected infrastructure.”

He outlined that this visit is part of the ongoing efforts by the department to ensure teaching and learning continue with minimal disruption as Term 2 begins, while plans are finalised to rehabilitate the damaged facilities.

The department further said that plans are underway to address the damage caused.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Akani Nkuna

Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela on Wednesday called for a skills revolution in construction, saying universities and colleges must produce graduates able to meet the sector’s real-world demands from day one.

“The skills revolution is about…ensuring that what we teach, what we research and also what we produce in our institutions is directly aligned with the needs of the economy and society,” he said.

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“It is about producing graduates who are not only qualified, but capable of working, building, innovating but also contributing from the first day that they step out of university, TVET college or out of community college.”

Manamela was speaking at iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu (iWS) in East London, where the institution, in collaboration with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), launched the iWS-cidb Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Construction and Fourth Industrial Revolution in TVET Education.

The centre is expected to support research, practice and industry development aimed at addressing shortcomings in the sector. It also aims to advance the country’s developmental goals through the use of cutting-edge 4IR technology, while generating practical insights to help inform policy.

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The centre is expected to produce highly skilled graduates and help bridge the gap between education, industry and innovation.

Manamela said the centre should ensure that students are exposed to the construction industry during their studies, where they engage with actual construction projects, acquiring “confidence and competence to effectively operate in the industry”.

“It must drive applied research. We cannot afford a situation where research exists only in academic journals and disconnected from the challenges faced by practitioners on the ground,” said Manamela.

He said the academic heads and professors tasked with the responsibility of leading the iWS-cidb centre have a duty to produce graduates who can confront industry challenges, including project delays, productivity constraints, sustainability and cost efficiency.

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Manamela emphasised the need for the centre to embrace transformation within the sector by supporting the development of emerging contractors, strengthening the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises, and creating pathways for inclusive economic participation.

“Infrastructure investment must translate into broader economic empowerment not just completed projects,” Manamela said.

Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala welcomed the launch of the centre as one of the measures needed to address the spatial legacy of apartheid.

He said the development would require a comprehensive approach to implementation to ensure growth is inclusive and that development reaches all communities.

“We look to the students of this university to play their part in reversing the spatial legacy of apartheid, which left the rural hinterland — like the former Transkei and Ciskei — at the periphery of development,” Zikalala said.

INSIDE EDUCATION

By Sihle Mavuso 

The Independent South African National Civic Organisation (ISANCO) has called for the return of school prayers and corporal punishment, saying that crime, corruption, and moral decay demand a return to Christian values.

In an Easter message, party president Zukile Luyenge said the country had regressed since morning prayers and corporal punishment were removed from schools.

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“The government may deny it but the consequences of this error of judgement has led to the decay of morality. The abolishment of corporal punishment in our school worsened the situation.

“It was even worse when the children were given permission to access termination of pregnancy without the consent of their parents as early as 12 years of age,” he said.

ISANCO is a breakaway from the ANC-aligned SANCO. In March, Luyenge told voters to back civic organisations and traditional leaders rather than mainstream parties, accusing the ANC, the Electoral Commission and Home Affairs of an “unholy” alliance.

Days later, he joined protests over the coronation of an Igbo king in East London, saying that coronation was evidence that South Africa had become a “Banana Republic”.

Christianity is the country’s largest religious affiliation, with Census 2022 putting the figure at 85.3% of the population.

South African law, however, does not support Luyenge’s claim that prayer was simply abolished in public schools after 1994.

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The South African Schools Act says religious observances may be conducted at public schools under rules set by governing bodies, provided they are held on an equitable basis and attendance is free and voluntary. The national religion-in-education policy says public schools must embrace the country’s religious diversity.

Section 10 of the Schools Act states that no person may administer corporal punishment to a learner at school and says anyone who does so is guilty of an offence punishable as assault.

The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act says no consent other than that of the pregnant woman is required. In the case of a pregnant minor, a doctor or registered midwife must advise her to consult her parents, guardian, family members or friends, but the termination may not be denied if she chooses not to do so. National health guidelines further state there is no minimum age of consent for access to termination of pregnancy services.

Luyenge nevertheless said Easter should mark the start of a moral reset.

 “The Easter holidays are observed even by the people who spend the whole year without seeing the door of the church. May this be the beginning of the road to moral regeneration and compassion.”

INSIDE EDUCATION