History curriculum to be overhauled

Minister Angie Motshekga has approved the re-appointment of the History Ministerial Task Team which will make history "more Afrocentric and relevant to South African learners”.

The department’s spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, says the overhaul will be from Grade 4 to 12.

"This is a follow up on the task team that was put in place to consider the feasibility of reviewing the history content that is taught in schools but also to look at the possibility of making it compulsory throughout the school system. Now the task team has been given the task of developing a new history programme but also to go on roadshows around the country obtaining input from people.”

He says the reason behind the change is to reflect the true history of the country.

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"The history of South Africa is not telling the right story, it was written by people in power and the certain dominating voice in that history that we need to balance. There are some heroes that are not reflected in the content, there are some events that are not accurately reflected in the books that we have at the moment. There's lots of information in archives all over the place that we have come across that does not appear in history books that are used in schools. That's exactly what we need to correct and make sure that the true South African story is told,” Mhlanga says.

He adds that this will allow children to make informed decisions based on credible knowledge.

Mhlanga says the team is still working and the timeline for when the change is made will be made in due course.

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