The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has described the release of the draft history curriculum for grades 4 to 12 as a timely step towards strengthening the country's education system.
The association believes the proposed amendments can usher in a stronger African perspective, while also supporting its effort to make history a compulsory subject in schools across the country.
It says this will promote social cohesion, strengthen cultural understanding and help learners develop identity, empathy and critical thinking.
SADTU spokesperson Nomusa Sembi said, “SADTU has long advocated for the decolonization of education and the history curriculum. For too long, history in South Africa has been taught from a colonial, Eurocentric perspective, ignoring the African perspective. We hope that the draft history curriculum is a step towards redressing this imbalance.”