The proposed curriculum aims to strengthen how students engage with the past by emphasizing inquiry, evidence and interpretation.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has called on the public to urgently consider its draft history curriculum for grades 4 to 12, with the comment window set to close on Sunday, 19 April 2026.
The draft Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), published under Government Notice No. 7 285 on 20 March 2026, is part of a long-running effort to reform how History Taught in South African schools. The department stressed that the documents will remain proposals and that public input will play a decisive role before any final policy is adopted.
years long review process
The DBE said the review has been ongoing since 2019, when a ministerial task force was appointed to re-work the topic.
The team was mandated to “develop a new history curriculum for grades 4 to 12”, conduct nationwide consultations, and incorporate public feedback.
“Provincial consultations were conducted in all nine provinces during 2023 and 2024,” the department said.
“Input arising from those consultations was incorporated into draft documents ahead of their presentation to the Minister in January 2025.”
The draft has since been examined by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, internal departmental bodies, the Heads of Education Committee (HEDOM) and the Council of Education Ministers, which has approved its release for public comment in November 2025. It has also been submitted to Umalusi for evaluation.
Focus on critical historical thinking
According to the DBE, the proposed curriculum aims to strengthen the way students engage with the past by emphasizing inquiry, evidence and interpretation.
“The curriculum aims to develop disciplinary knowledge and skills in history in grades 4 to 12,” the department said. The department said it defines school history “in terms of inquiry, evidence, interpretation and critical engagement with the past”.
The draft covers both ancient and modern history and integrates sources such as archeology and oral history. It also seeks to create “historical thinking, historical consciousness and historical culture”.
Importantly, the DBE said oral histories have been included to “broaden the evidence base and recover perspectives that were previously marginalised”, while written records, including “colonial and apartheid archives, read critically”, remain important.
Concerns about content balance
The department acknowledged the growing public debate over whether the draft adequately covered South African and global history.
“The Department is aware that some comments have raised questions about whether elements of South African history or world history could be de-emphasized or omitted,” it said.
It urged stakeholders to use the formal process to raise these concerns, welcoming “concrete submissions on scope, balance, content coverage, indexing, evaluation, historical outline and any other aspect of the draft”.
DBE said entries Relevant caps should clearly reference the document and page number. Comments can be sent by post to its Pretoria offices or via email to the designated officer.
Course format documents and templates are available on the department's website.
“The Department encourages teachers, subject experts, higher education institutions, professional bodies, heritage institutions, civil society organisations, parents and members of the public to carefully engage the draft documents,” it said, calling for “focused, evidence-based comments”.
As the deadline approaches, the DBE's message is clear: the final shape of South Africa's history curriculum will depend on who speaks now.
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