Citizenship education in Western Cape Schools: experiences of Life Orientation teachers

Abstract

The South African Constitution of 1996 envisions schools as agents of social change, expounding the fostering of Citizenship Education (CE) to cultivate critical and proactive citizenry. The rationale for this study is founded on an arguable lack of social cohesion and nationhood, despite thirty years of democratic governance and liberation. Questions were raised around the role of education and in particular, the function of schooling in the development of post-apartheid South Africa. In this regard, the subject Life Orientation (LO) is expected to address the issues of social cohesion and nation-building. To unravel the complex relationship between the mediation of LO teachers’ teaching, curriculum implementation and social cohesion, the following research question was formulated to inform this research: What are LO teachers’ pedagogical experiences of teaching CE at schools in the Western Cape, how do they teach CE, and why do they teach CE the way they do? A literature study revealed that several challenges impede the effective implementation of CE. These include an overly abstract curriculum, a limited understanding of democratic principles among teachers, and inadequate support systems. Furthermore, issues such as poor race relations and fractured social cohesion compound these challenges, often leaving teachers ill-equipped to address diversity, equity, and unity within their classrooms. Recognising these barriers, I embarked on a qualitative, multiple case study design to explore teachers’ LO pedagogical experiences and classroom practices. The study employed theoretical frameworks based on the research of Shulman – Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Paulo Freire’s approach to Critical Pedagogy (CP), to interpret its data and develop meaningful findings. Among the findings, it is worthwhile to highlight, for example, generational disparities in teacher identities, a misalignment between curricular expectations and actual classroom practices, and teachers' roles as social change agents. Beyond content delivery, teachers embrace the emotional dimension of CE, fostering a safe and empathic space for their learners to engage meaningfully with democracy, ultimately contributing to their understanding of civic responsibility. While acknowledging the epistemological contribution of this research, the findings underscore the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and teacher education as essential to narrow the distance between curriculum intentions and teaching practice. The study offers recommendations for future research, curriculum reform, and policy and practice, to be considered in teacher education and training. It also advocates for greater awareness and integration of Global Citizenship Education (GCE) into the Life Orientation (LO) curriculum to better prepare learners for a socially cohesive and democratic society.

UMgaqo-siseko waseMzantsi Afrika ka-1996 ubona izikolo njengezixhobo zotshintsho kwezentlalo, egxininisa ukuxhasa uFundo Lobumi Boluntu (Citizenship Education - CE) ukuze kufuywe abemi abacingayo nabasebenzayo. Isizathu sophando olu sisiseko sokungabikho kwentsebenziswano eluntwini kunye nokungabikho kobuzwe, nangona sele kudlule iminyaka engamashumi amathathu kulawulo lwentando yesininzi kunye nenkululeko. Imibuzo yaphakanyiswa malunga nendima yemfundo, ngakumbi indima yezikolo kuphuhliso lweMzantsi Afrika emva kobandlululo. Kolu hlobo, isifundo se-Life Orientation (LO) kulindeleke ukuba siqubisane nemicelimngeni yokudityaniswa kwezentlalo kunye nokwakhiwa kwesizwe. Ukuze kuqondwe ubudlelwane obuntsonkothileyo phakathi kweendlela zootitshala be-LO, uphumezo lwekharityhulam kunye nokudityaniswa kwezentlalo, lombuzo uphando wamiselwa: Ziyintoni iimvakalelo zootitshala be-LO malunga nemfundiso ye-CE ezikolweni zaseNtshona Koloni, bafundisa njani i-CE, kwaye kutheni befundisa i-CE ngendlela abayenzayo? Uphando lwencwadi lubonise imingeni emininzi etshixela uphumezo olusebenzayo lwe-CE. Oku kubandakanya ikharityhulam engacacanga kakuhle, ukuqonda okulinganiselweyo kweemigaqo yentando yesininzi phakathi kootitshala, kunye nenkxaso engekho mahlakani. Ngaphezu koko, imiba enje ngobuhlanga obungemihle kunye nokungadityaniswa kwezentlalo ikwadala imiqobo, rhoqo ishiya ootitshala bengakulungelanga ukujongana neenkalo ngeenkwenkwezi, ukulingana, kunye nobumbano kwiiklasi zabo. Ndiqaphele le mingeni, ndaye ndaphanda ngendlela yokwenza uphando lomgangatho usebenzisa iimeko ezininzi ukuze ndiqonde iimvakalelo zootitshala be-LO kunye nokusebenza kwabo kwigumbi lokufundela. Uphando lusebenzise iindlela zethiyori ezisekelwe kuphando lukaShulman – ulwazi lwePedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) – kunye nendlela kaPaulo Freire yeCritical Pedagogy (CP), ukuze kuchazwe idatha kunye nokuphuhlisa iziphumo ezibalulekileyo. Phakathi kweziphumo, kubalulekile ukukhankanya, umzekelo, umahluko phakathi kwezizukulwana kwizazisi zootitshala, ukungahambelani phakathi kwento elindelekileyo kwikharityhulam kunye nokwenziwa kweklasi, kunye neendima zootitshala njengabaguquli kwezentlalo. Ngaphandle kokuhanjiswa komxholo, ootitshala bamkela imvakalelo yemfundo ye-CE, benza indawo ekhuselekileyo nenovelwano yabafundi babo yokuba bangene nzulu kwintando yesininzi, ekugqibeleni baphuhlise ukuqonda kwabo malunga noxanduva lobumi boluntu. Ngelixa kusithiwa qhiwu ngengxelo yophando, iziphumo zibonisa imfuneko yentsebenziswano phakathi kweefundiswe ezahlukeneyo kunye noqeqesho lootitshala ukuze kufutshane umahluko phakathi kweenjongo zekharityhulam kunye nendlela yokufundisa. Uphononongo lubonelela ngeengcebiso zophando oluzayo, uhlaziyo lwekharityhulam, kunye nomgaqo-nkqubo, kunye neendlela zokusebenza, ukuze ziqwalaselwe kuqeqesho lwabafundisi. Luphakamisa kwakhona imfuno yokuqonda okungakumbi kunye nokudibanisa uFundo Lobumi Boluntu lweHlabathi (Global Citizenship Education - GCE) kwi-Life Orientation ukuze abafundi balungiselelwe kakuhle eluntwini oluhambelanayo nolwentando yesininzi.

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet van 1996 beskou skole as agente van sosiale verandering en verduidelik die bevordering van Burgerskaponderwys (BO) om kritiese en proaktiewe burgerskap te kweek. Die rasionaal vir hierdie studie is gebaseer op 'n argumenteerbare gebrek aan sosiale samehorigheid en nasionaliteit, ten spyte van dertig jaar van demokratiese regering en bevryding. Vrae is geopper oor die rol van onderwys en in die besonder die funksie van skoolonderrig in die ontwikkeling van post-apartheid Suid-Afrika. In hierdie verband word verwag dat die vak Lewensoriëntering (LO) die kwessies van sosiale samehorigheid en nasiebou sal aanspreek. Om die komplekse verhouding tussen die bemiddeling van LO-onderwysers se onderrig, kurrikulumimplementering en sosiale samehorigheid te ontrafel, is die volgende navorsingsvraag geformuleer om hierdie navorsing te inlig: Wat is LO-onderwysers se pedagogiese ervarings van die onderrig van BO by skole in die Wes-Kaap, hoe onderrig hulle BO, en waarom onderrig hulle BO soos hulle doen? 'n Literatuurstudie het aan die lig gebring dat verskeie uitdagings die effektiewe implementering van BO belemmer. Dit sluit in 'n oordrewe abstrakte kurrikulum, 'n beperkte begrip van demokratiese beginsels onder onderwysers, en onvoldoende ondersteuningstelsels. Verder vererger kwessies soos swak rasseverhoudinge en gebroke sosiale samehorigheid hierdie uitdagings, wat onderwysers dikwels swak toegerus laat om diversiteit, billikheid en eenheid in hul klaskamers aan te spreek. Met die erkenning van hierdie hindernisse het ek 'n kwalitatiewe, veelvuldige gevallestudie-ontwerp aangepak om onderwysers se LO-pedagogiese ervarings en klaskamerpraktyke te ondersoek. Die studie het teoretiese raamwerke gebaseer op die navorsing van Shulman – Pedagogiese Inhoudskennis (PKI) en Paulo Freire se benadering tot Kritiese Pedagogie (KP) gebruik om die data daarvan te interpreteer en betekenisvolle bevindinge te ontwikkel. Onder die bevindinge is dit die moeite werd om byvoorbeeld generasie-verskille in onderwyseridentiteite, 'n wanbelyning tussen kurrikulêre verwagtinge en werklike klaskamerpraktyke, en onderwysers se rolle as agente van sosiale verandering uit te lig. Benewens inhoudlewering, omarm onderwysers die emosionele dimensie van KO, en bevorder 'n veilige en empatiese ruimte vir hul leerders om betekenisvol met demokrasie om te gaan, wat uiteindelik bydra tot hul begrip van burgerlike verantwoordelikheid. Terwyl die epistemologiese bydrae van hierdie navorsing erken word, beklemtoon die bevindinge die behoefte aan interdissiplinêre samewerking en onderwysersopleiding as noodsaaklik om die afstand tussen kurrikulumvoornemens en onderwyspraktyk te vernou. Die studie bied aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing, kurrikulumhervorming, en beleid en praktyk wat in onderwysersopleiding en -onderrig oorweeg moet word. Dit pleit ook vir groter bewustheid en integrasie van Globale Burgerskapsonderwys (GCE) in die Lewensoriëntering (LO) kurrikulum om leerders beter voor te berei vir 'n sosiaal samehangende en demokratiese samelewing.