A recommendation that history be phased in as a compulsory subject in grades 10 to 12 has received strong but wide-ranging views from historians and academics.
Peter Kallaway, retired emeritus professor of education at the University of the Western Cape, has dubbed the move a “disaster” while Marjorie Brown, the head of department for senior school history at Roedean School in Johannesburg, warned against the subject being “dumbed down”.
But history textbook writer Gengs Pillay said the recommendation was “great news for South Africa”.
The history task team has recommended that history be phased in between 2023 and 2025, so that there is sufficient time to produce more history teachers.
It also recommended that life orientation as a compulsory subject in grades 10 to 12 be scrapped.
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