Pan-Africanism in South African high school history classrooms: Unveiling classroom realities

 

As a PhD student at the University of Cape Town, I am conducting an interdisciplinary study that delves into the representation of Pan-Africanism in South African high school history classrooms. This research aims to shed light on how teachers educate their students about Pan-Africanism, drawing from history textbooks, other related resources, and/or personal interpretations. The study investigates the dynamic nature of Pan-Africanism as a concept and its role in shaping a new national identity in post-apartheid South Africa. It also explores the disparities in teaching approaches between different types of schools and the impact of class on these representations.

 

Pan-Africanism, as a socio-political and cultural concept, encompasses the idea of unity among Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora. However, Pan-Africanism is not a fixed ideology; rather, it evolves according to the political climate and societal needs of the time. In South Africa, it has transformed into a more inclusive understanding that emphasises human solidarity, ubuntu, unity in diversity, and global citizenship as crucial components for building a socially cohesive society.

 

Furthermore, the study recognises the pivotal role of history in shaping a new national identity in post-Apartheid South Africa. Education plays a crucial role in fostering cultural values, and the content taught in schools is of paramount importance. This understanding sets the stage for an exploration of how South Africa's Department of Basic Education seeks to maintain social control through education and how this education unfolds in the classroom.

 

The research employs an interpretive qualitative approach and involves the collection of data through interviews with Grade 11 and 12 in-service history teachers from urban schools. The sample includes teachers from three selected provinces: Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape, representing diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Public schools are categorised into five quintiles based on resource allocation, with quintiles 1 to 3 designated as no-fee schools and quintiles 4 to 5 as fee-paying schools. Thematic analysis is used to identify patterns within the data, encompassing both explicit and implicit content.

 

The impact of class
One of the most significant findings of this research is the impact of class on the representation of Pan-Africanism in South African high school history classrooms, which I will illustrate below:

 

In fee-paying schools, Pan-Africanism is taught in greater detail, primarily due to students’ bottom-up demand and their awareness of social justice and decolonisation debates, largely influenced by movements like #RhodesMustFall, #FeesMustFall, and #BlackLivesMatter. Teachers in these schools emphasise the importance of teaching history as a discipline, leading them to utilise diverse sources beyond prescribed textbooks. A vast majority of the interviewed teachers in fee-paying schools believed that Pan-Africanism in the South African history curriculum and textbooks was not treated as an idea or theme but in a superficial, vague, disconnected, and isolated way, causing them to look for other resources. These teachers often explore the changing discourse of Pan-Africanism throughout history, considering different perspectives and its global context, including the African Diaspora. They link Pan-Africanism to historical thinking concepts, such as historical significance, cause and consequence, and continuity and change, and stress its significance in economic decolonisation. Teachers in these schools aim to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of Pan-Africanism, its historical roots, and its relevance to the present.