grade 9 essay bantu education act summary

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• What is the apartheid era in South African history?
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Bantu Education Act

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• South African History Online - Bantu education and the racist compartmentalizing of education
• South Africa - Overcoming Apartheid Building Democracy - Bantu Education
• Academia - To What extent did the Bantu Education Act change the system of Black Education in South Africa?
• Swarthmore College - Global Nonviolent Action Database - Black South Africans boycott Bantu education system, 1954-1955
• St. John Fisher University - Fisher Digital Publications - Bantu Education

Bantu Education Act , South African law , enacted in 1953 and in effect from January 1, 1954, that governed the education of Black South African (called Bantu by the country’s government) children. It was part of the government’s system of apartheid , which sanctioned racial segregation and discrimination against nonwhites in the country.

From about the 1930s the vast majority of schools serving Black students in South Africa were run by missions and often operated with state aid. Most children, however, did not attend these schools. In 1949 the government appointed a commission, headed by anthropologist W.W.M. Eiselen, to study and make recommendations for the education of native South Africans. The Eiselen Commission Report (1951) urged the government to take charge of education for Black South Africans in order to make it part of a general socioeconomic plan for the country. In addition, the report stated that the schooling should be tailored toward the needs and values of the cultures of the communities in which the schools were located. The prescriptions of the commission were generally followed by the Bantu Education Act.

Under the act, the Department of Native Affairs, headed by Hendrik Verwoerd , was made responsible for the education of Black South Africans; in 1958 the Department of Bantu Education was established. The act required Black children to attend the government schools. Teaching was to take place in the students’ native tongue, though the syllabus included classes in English and Afrikaans . Instruction was mandated in needlework (for girls), handcraft, planting, and soil conservation as well as in arithmetic , social studies, and Christian religion. The education was aimed at training the children for the manual labour and menial jobs that the government deemed suitable for those of their race, and it was explicitly intended to inculcate the idea that Black people were to accept being subservient to white South Africans. Funding for the schools was to come from taxes paid by the communities that they served, so Black schools received only a small fraction of the amount of money that was available to their white counterparts. As a result, there was a profound shortage of qualified teachers, and teacher-student ratios ranged from 40–1 to 60–1. An attempt by activists to establish alternative schools (called cultural clubs because such schools were illegal under the education act) that would give children a better education had collapsed by the end of the 1950s.

High schools were initially concentrated in the Bantustans , reserves that the government intended as homelands for Black South Africans. However, during the 1970s the need for better-trained Black workers resulted in the opening of high schools in Soweto , outside Johannesburg . Nonwhite students were barred from attending open universities by the Extension of University Education Act (1959). The Bantu Education Act was replaced by the Education and Training Act of 1979. Mandatory segregation in education ended with the passage of the South African Schools Act in 1996, but decades of substandard education and barriers to entrance to historically white schools had left the majority of Black South Africans far behind in educational achievement by the beginning of the 21st century.

Bantu Education in South Africa Essay

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Introduction

Views of structural functionalists on education, neo-marxist perspective on education, nature of bantu education, criticism of bantu education, works cited.

Education is an important aspect of development in any society. It contributes towards societal development by preparing learners with the relevant skills, values and attitudes they require to take occupational roles in their future lives. This implies that educational systems play a vital role in determining the well-being of a country.

For many years, South Africa was exposed to discriminatory actions resulting from the apartheid system. This was extended to the education sector through the introduction of the Bantu Education. This Essay focuses on the nature of the Bantu education system and its shortcomings in the eyes of structural functionalists and neo-Marxist sociologists.

There are different structural-functionalist approaches used in the study of sociology of education. However, the most important ones are derived from the works of famous sociologists Durkheim and Parsons. Until the late 1960s and early 1970s, sociological thinking on matters of education was dominated by structural functionalism. Functionalist sociologists of education look at how education contributes towards the well-being of the society.

The provision of social solidarity and value consensus is the strongest of the functional contributions that education makes to the society. Education as socialization is associated with transmission of culture, values and norms that enable people to stick together and facilitate social life in highly traditional social communities. Similarly, the modern education system is supposed to hold modern societies together.

This thinking is founded on the need to deal with the characteristics associated with the transition from simple traditional to complex and modern societies. Complex modern societies involve a change from a homogeneous life based on rural kinship into concentrated but heterogeneous populations in societies which live in urban areas and characterised by differentiated division of labor.

Mass education is a tool that can be used in such societies to instill proper rules and curricula in children that bind them and the new form of society together. This makes it possible for non-kinship -based, consensual and cooperative lives to be established. This was the argument of sociologist Durkheim (Martin 6).

After the establishment of industrial capitalist society, Parson advanced an argument that the function of education was to create a bridge between the primary socialization that took place at home and adult life preparation. He focused on the role of the school in equipping children with universalistic values as opposed to the particularistic ones obtained from the family.

Particularistic roles are the ascribed ones such as the role and status of an individual, such as his/her place in the family. Universalistic roles on the other hand emphasize the teachings that on the basis of birth, nobody is better than the other. According to structural functionalists, education is the basis of modern society where it socializes children and equips them with the necessary skills for adult life and to function in a modern society marked by universalistic values.

They also believe that education plays an important role in modernizing the society as opposed to mere transition from simple to modern. In addition, the role of education in helping the society adapt to changes in the broader environment such as the competitive advantage cannot be underestimated.

There are numerous neo-Marxist approaches to education but the most influential ones are those of Bowles and Gintis who argue that the education system leads to the production of a capitalist society. According to them, the purpose of education in a capitalist society is to reproduce capitalist relations of production meaning profit, capitalist power and capitalist control of power. They believe in a correspondence principle which explains how the school corresponds with work that serves this purpose.

Its function is to reproduce labor in the sense that it provides enough quantities of the different labor types capitalists need. In addition, it reproduces the right type of the labor required by capitalists since it dampens the desire towards class struggle and instead isolates pupils into the highly class-stratified roles they will occupy in the job market once they leave school. Ideally, the purpose of the school is to isolate and integrate pupils into the capitalist society (Blackledge and Hunt 136).

Neo-Marxists argue that for both capitalist and working class children, schools take over from families and socialize the child into the primary societal values, norms, roles and attitudes. The correspondence they talk of between the school and workplace is meant to prepare pupils to assume occupational roles. Schools are organised in a hierarchy and run along authoritarian lines. Learning is also extrinsically motivated rather than being intrinsically motivated.

These characteristics of schools the neo-Marxists argue that are replicated in the workplace where the workers follow the orders given by their bosses without questioning. There motivation is only an extrinsic one in the form of the wages they get.

While formal curriculum is mandated with the task of giving pupils the basic literacy and numeracy they require in their future jobs, the correspondence between school and work is a form of hidden curriculum that prepares them to politically and ideologically embrace life in a capitalist society.

They are prepared to be obedient, docile, passive and loyal to authorities and hierarchy. According to the neo-Marxists, the bottom line is that only a revolutionary transformation of the capitalist mode of production as a whole can lead to a transformed education system.

After the national party came into power in 1948, the neglect and limitation that had characterised native education from 1910 paved the way for strict state control for black education. This control marked the disappearance of the mission school system which was faced by many challenges despite the fact that it was an important educational institution.

The national party government was committed to eliminate the tolerant laissez-faire perceptions towards black education. The Bantu Education Act of 1953 made it possible for the enactment of legislation that was aimed at promoting Christian National Education separate development.

Bantu Education in South Africa was intended at providing the ruling elites with a cheap and submissive labor. In addition, it aimed at resolving the urban crisis that had developed in the 1940s and 1950s due to industrialisation and rapid urbanisation. This was caused by the collapsing homeland agriculture and the expansion of secondary industrialisation after the Second World War. Transport, housing and wages were not enough for the increasing number of working class people who lived in towns.

The response to the breakdown of these services and poor conditions was squatter movements and the formation of trade unions. Radical oppositions to political activities became the norm, accompanied by the leadership of the African National Congress. The increasing levels of poverty became a threat to the physical productivity of the white elites. Social stability in the 1940s was either obstructed by the presence of education or lack of it (Hyslop 80).

Educationalists attributed the increase in crime rates and the defiant nature of youths to the lack of enough schools. They were afraid that political mobilisation was going to be on the increase. Bantu education was therefore ideally aimed at exercising social control over youth and especially those who were working. In addition, there was the need to socialize them in relation to the norms that were regarded as appropriate by the ruling elites alongside producing properly trained and trainable labor.

The uniqueness of Bantu Education was in its adherence to non-egalitarian and racist education. Intellectually, it was believed that such a system of education was important in spreading the idea that the mentality of a native made him suited for repetitive tasks. Such ideas were important in producing a mass education system that was characterised by constrained spending. Although Bantu Education was regarded as a racist-based cheap education, ironically, Africans were responsible for the costs.

They suffered additional taxation in order to fund the cost of African education. The contribution of the state was an annual grant that originated from the general revenue. Taxes raised were used in supplementing the grant where a small percentage was used to develop Bantu Education. The government policy of financing Bantu Education and the increase in the number of students affected the quality due to the worsening of the pupil-teacher ratio.

During the early years of Bantu Education, a lot of effort was made to use the wages earned by Africans as the basis of funding the education instead of taxing employers. Although the national party was not willing to endorse adequate academic training and skills training, the education served the interests and needs of the industry hence there was no ill relationship between capital and the state.

Anybody was in a position to tell that the educational policies of the government were intended at ensuring that black people secured very few opportunities with regard to employment. They were only prepared to render ready unskilled or skilled labor. This was the relationship between the Bantu Education and the industry (Ballantine 55).

Later in the 1950s, Bantu Education was compatible with the significant expansion of the capitalist economy. However, in the 1960s, the educational policies of the state brought about friction between the government and the industry.

The state used force to give its organisational and ideological interests the first over more particular interests of business and the industry. Under the guise of concentrating growth of secondary, technical and tertiary education in the homelands, the government succeeded in using the urban school system as a tool of influx control. Education was used to propagate apartheid policy.

The purpose of any educational system is to equip pupils with relevant knowledge that prepares them for future occupational roles and transforms the society as a whole. However, the Bantu Education that was practiced in South Africa was a faulty education system that could not transform the society.

In the eyes of structural functionalists and neo-Marxist sociologists, it was detrimental to the social and economic development of the country. The main focus of structural functionalists is to look at how education contributes towards the well-being of the society. It plays an important role since it forms the basis of modern society by equipping learners with relevant skills that prepare them for adult life.

However, according to structural functionalists Bantu Education was devoid of this important function of education. It was racist in nature and could not bring the society together. It was inspired by apartheid and instead of preparing the learners for a cohesive society, it led to more divisions. The system was aimed at ensuring that the black people did not get jobs that were regarded as white men’s. In this structural functionalist perspective, the education system was detrimental to the social and economic development of South Africa.

In the eyes of neo-Marxist sociologists, Bantu Education was still harmful to the social and economic development of South Africa. Education to them is supposed to equip the learners with the right attitudes, values and norms that allow them to thrive in a capitalist society.

However, Bantu Education was only interested in giving learners skills that could not allow them to thrive in a capitalist society. For instance, the skills that were being passed to them could only allow them to be used in the provision of cheap unskilled or semi-skilled labor.

Neo-Marxists also believe that education is supposed to equip learners with the right skills to provide various labor types required by capitalists. On the contrary, Bantu Education provided learners with skills that could only be applied in limited areas. It was even a disadvantage to the capitalists since they could not get skilled labor whenever they required it. The education system was therefore detrimental to the social and economic development of South Africa.

Education plays an important role in preparing children for their future occupational roles by equipping them with the right values, norms and attitudes. This enables them to make positive contributions in the society. Although structural functionalists and neo-Marxists hold some differing views on the purpose of education, they both share a common belief that education plays an important role in transforming the society.

However, the Bantu Education in South Africa was discriminatory in nature and prevented societal development. According to the two groups of sociologists, it was detrimental towards the social and economic development of South Africa.

Ballantine, Jeanne. The sociology of education: A systematic analysis, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1993.Print.

Blackledge, David and Barry Hunt. Sociological interpretations of education, London: Routledge, 1985.Print.

Hyslop, Jonathan. The classroom struggle: policy and resistance in South Africa,1940-1990, Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press, 1999.Print.

Martin, Ruhr. The Sociology of Education, Pretoria: University of South Africa, 2006.Print.

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Apartheid Essay for Grade 9 Examples: 300 -1000 Words

The apartheid era in South Africa was a time of extreme racial segregation and discrimination that lasted from 1948 to 1994. Writing an essay about this complex subject requires an understanding of history, social dynamics, and human rights. This guide will help you break down the topic into manageable parts for a well-structured essay.

Section 1: Introduction to Apartheid

• Background : Explain what apartheid was, when it began, and who was involved.
• Thesis Statement : Summarise your main argument or perspective on apartheid.
• Keyword : Apartheid, racial segregation.

Section 2: Implementation of Apartheid Laws

• Introduction : Detail how apartheid laws were created and implemented.
• Examples : Mention laws such as the Population Registration Act, Group Areas Act.
• Keyword : Laws, racial classification.

Section 3: Effects on South African Society

• Introduction : Describe how apartheid affected different racial groups.
• Examples : Provide real-life examples, like forced relocations.
• Keyword : Discrimination, societal impact.

Section 4: Resistance to Apartheid

• Introduction : Explain how individuals and groups resisted apartheid.
• Examples : Talk about movements like the ANC, people like Nelson Mandela.
• Keyword : Resistance, liberation movements.

Section 5: End of Apartheid

• Introduction : Discuss how apartheid came to an end and the transition to democracy.
• Examples : Refer to negotiations, elections, and the role of global pressure.
• Keyword : Democracy, reconciliation.
• Summary : Recap the main points and restate your thesis.
• Closing Thoughts : Offer a reflection on the legacy of apartheid in contemporary South Africa.

Additional Tips

• Use Simple Language : Write in a way that’s easy to understand.
• Use South African Context : Focus on facts and examples relevant to South Africa.
• Research : Back up your points with well-researched facts and theories.

Introduction

Apartheid , a system of racial segregation that lasted from 1948 to 1994, defined a dark era in South African history. It dictated where people could live, work, and even socialise, based on their racial classification. This essay will explore the genesis of apartheid, its impact on South African society, the brave resistance against it, and finally, its dismantling.

Section 1: Implementation of Apartheid Laws

In 1948, the National Party came to power and implemented apartheid as a legal system. The Population Registration Act classified South Africans into four racial categories: Black, White, Coloured, and Indian. Following this, the Group Areas Act designated different living areas for each racial group. These laws not only separated people but ensured that the majority of the country’s resources were reserved for the white minority.

Section 2: Effects on South African Society

The effects of apartheid were profound and painful. Black South Africans were forcibly relocated to townships with poor living conditions. The Bantu Education Act provided an inferior education for Black children, preparing them only for menial jobs. Families were torn apart, and non-white South Africans were treated as second-class citizens, all in the name of maintaining white supremacy.

Section 3: Resistance to Apartheid

Despite the oppressive regime, many South Africans resisted apartheid. The African National Congress (ANC) and other liberation movements organised protests and strikes. Icons like Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu fought tirelessly against the system. The Soweto Uprising in 1976, where students protested against the use of Afrikaans in schools, is a stark example of how even the youth were involved in the struggle.

Section 4: End of Apartheid

The journey to end apartheid was long and fraught with challenges. International pressure, economic sanctions, and internal unrest gradually weakened the apartheid government. Negotiations began, leading to the release of political prisoners like Mandela. In 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections, in which all racial groups could vote, marking the official end of apartheid.

Apartheid was a system that caused immense suffering and division in South Africa. Its impact is still felt today, as the country grapples with issues of inequality and racial tension. However, the end of apartheid also symbolises the triumph of justice, human rights, and the indomitable spirit of the South African people. The lessons learned from this period continue to shape South Africa’s journey towards a more inclusive and compassionate society. The story of apartheid is not just a history lesson; it is a guide for future generations about the importance of unity, resilience, and the continuous pursuit of equality.

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The Bantu Education Act: an Injustice to South African Education

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Grade 9 - Term 4: Turning points in modern South African History since 1948

For this complex period to be studied, the Sharpeville massacre, Soweto uprising and the release of Nelson Mandela and unbanning of liberation movements have been selected to gain a deeper understanding of South African History. These key turning points in South African history are a depiction of the conflict between the Government and the Black/ African population of the country, where the Sharpeville massacre occurred due to the resistance by the black population against pass laws that were implemented by the government; the June 1976 student uprisings were against the introduction of the Bantu Education Act and 1990 provided a significant turning point with the release of Nelson Mandela and the unbanning of liberation movements.

Sharpeville massacre

At the annual conference of the African National Congress (ANC) held in Durban on 16 December 1959, the President General of the ANC, Chief Albert Luthuli , announced that 1960 was going to be the "Year of the Pass." Through a series of mass actions, the ANC planned to launch a nationwide anti-pass campaign on 31 March - the anniversary of the 1919 anti-pass campaign.

A week later, a breakaway group from the ANC, the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) held its first conference in Johannesburg . At this conference, it was announced that the PAC would launch its own anti-pass campaign.

Early in 1960 both the ANC and PAC embarked on a feverish drive to prepare their members and Black communities for the proposed nationwide campaigns. The PAC called on its supporters to leave their passes at home on the appointed date and gather at police stations around the country, making themselves available for arrest. The campaign slogan was "NO BAIL! NO DEFENCE! NO FINE!" The PAC argued that if thousands of people were arrested, then the jails would be filled and the economy would come to a standstill.

Although the protests were anticipated, no one could have predicted the consequences and the repercussions this would have for South African and world politics. An article entitled "PAC Campaign will be test," published in the 19 March 1960 issue of Contact, the Liberal Party newspaper, described the build up to the campaign:

The Pan Africanist Congress will shortly launch a nationwide campaign for the total abolition of the pass laws. The exact date on which the campaign will start is still unknown. The decision lies with the P.A.C. President, Mr. R.M. Sobukwe. But members say that the campaign will begin 'shortly - within a matter of weeks.'

At a press conference held on Saturday 19th March 1960, PAC President Robert Sobukwe announced that the PAC was going to embark on an anti-pass campaign on Monday the 21st. According to his "Testimony about the Launch of the Campaign," Sobukwe declared:

The campaign was made known on the 18th of March. Circulars were printed and distributed to the members of the organisation and on the 21st of March, on Monday, in obedience to a resolution they had taken, the members of the Pan Africanist Congress surrendered themselves at various police stations around the Country.

At the press conference Sobukwe emphasized that the campaign should be conducted in a spirit of absolute non-violence and that the PAC saw it as the first step in Black people's bid for total independence and freedom by 1963 (Cape Times, 1960). Sobukwe subsequently announced that: 

African people have entrusted their whole future to us. And we have sworn that we are leading them, not to death, but to life abundant. My instructions, therefore, are that our people must be taught now and continuously that in this campaign we are going to observe absolute non-violence.

On the morning of 21 March, PAC members walked around Sharpeville waking people up and urging them to take part in the demonstration. Other PAC members tried to stop bus drivers from going on duty and this resulted in a lack transport for Sharpeville residents who worked in Vereeniging. Many people set out for work on bicycles or on foot, but some were intimidated by PAC members who threatened to burn their passes or "lay hands on them" if they went to work (Reverend Ambrose Reeves, 1966). However, many people joined the procession quite willingly.

Early on the 21st the local PAC leaders first gathered in a field not far from the Sharpeville police station, when a sizable crowd of people had joined them they proceeded to the police station - chanting freedom songs and calling out the campaign slogans " Izwe lethu " (Our land); " Awaphele amapasti " (Down with passes); " Sobukwe Sikhokhele " (Lead us Sobukwe); "Forward to Independence,Tomorrow the United States of Africa."

When the marchers reached Sharpeville's police station a heavy contingent of policemen were lined up outside, many on top of British-made Saracen armored cars. Mr. Tsolo and other members of the PAC Branch Executive continued to advance - in conformity with the novel PAC motto of "Leaders in Front" - and asked the White policeman in command to let them through so that they could surrender themselves for refusing to carry passes. Initially the police commander refused but much later, approximately 11h00, they were let through; the chanting of freedom songs continued and the slogans were repeated with even greater volume. Journalists who rushed there from other areas, after receiving word that the campaign was a runaway success confirmed "that for all their singing and shouting the crowd's mood was more festive than belligerent" (David M. Sibeko, 1976).

By mid-day approximately 300 armed policemen faced a crowd of approximately 5000 people. At 13h15 a small scuffle began near the entrance of the police station. A policeman was accidently pushed over and the crowd began to move forward to see what was happening.

According to the police, protesters began to stone them and, without any warning, one of the policemen on the top of an armoured car panicked and opened fire. His colleagues followed suit and opened fire. The firing lasted for approximately two minutes, leaving 69 people dead and, according to the official inquest, 180 people seriously wounded. The policemen were apparently jittery after a recent event in Durban where nine policemen were shot.

Unlike elsewhere on the East Rand where police used baton when charging at resisters, the police at Sharpeville used live ammunition. Eyewitness accounts attest to the fact that the people were given no warning to disperse. Eyewitness accounts and evidence later led to an official inquiry which attested to the fact that large number of people were shot in the back as they were fleeing the scene. The presence of armoured vehicles and air force fighter jets overhead also pointed to unnecessary provocation, especially as the crowd was unarmed and determined to stage a non-violent protest. According to an account from Humphrey Tyler, the assistant editor at Drum magazine :

The police have claimed they were in desperate danger because the crowd was stoning them. Yet only three policemen were reported to have been hit by stones - and more than 200 Africans were shot down. The police also have said that the crowd was armed with 'ferocious weapons', which littered the compound after they fled.

I saw no weapons, although I looked very carefully, and afterwards studied the photographs of the death scene. While I was there I saw only shoes, hats and a few bicycles left among the bodies. The crowd gave me no reason to feel scared, though I moved among them without any distinguishing mark to protect me, quite obvious with my white skin. I think the police were scared though, and I think the crowd knew it.

Within hours the news of the killing at Sharpeville was flashed around the world. 

On the morning of 21 March Robert Sobukwe left his house in Mofolo, a suburb of Soweto , and began walking to the Orlando police station. Along the way small groups of people joined him. In Pretoria a small group of six people presented themselves at the Hercules police station. In addition other small groups of PAC activists presented themselves at police stations in Durban and East London. However, the police simply took down the protesters names and did not arrest anyone.

When the news of the Sharpeville Massacre reached Cape Town a group of between 1000 to 5000 protestors gathered at the Langa Flats bus terminus around 17h00 on 21 March 1960. This was in direct defiance of the government's country-wide ban on public meetings and gatherings of more than ten persons. The police ordered the crowd to disperse within 3 minutes. When protesters reconvened in defiance, the police charged at them with batons, tear gas and guns. Three people were killed and 26 others were injured. Langa Township was gripped by tension and in the turmoil that ensued, In the violence that followed an employee of the Cape Timesnewspaper Richard Lombard was killed by the rioting crowd.

The Langa March, 30 March 1960

On 30 March 1960, Philip Kgosana led a Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) march of between 30.000-50.000 protestors from Langa and Nyanga to the police headquarters in Caledon Square. The protesters offered themselves up for arrest for not carrying their passes. Police were temporarily paralyzed with indecision. The event has been seen by some as a turning point in South African history. Kgosana agreed to disperse the protestors in if a meeting with J B Vorster , then Minister of Justice, could be secured. He was tricked into dispersing the crowd and was arrested by the police later that day. Along with other PAC leaders he was charged with incitement, but while on bail he left the country and went into exile. This march is seen by many as a turning point in South African history.

On the same day, the government responded by declaring a state of emergency and banning all public meetings. The police and army arrested thousands of Africans, who were imprisoned with their leaders, but still the mass action raged. By 9 April the death toll had risen to 83 non-White civilians and three non-White police officers. 26 Black policemen and 365 Black civilians were injured – no White police men were killed and only 60 were injured. However, Foreign Consulates were flooded with requests for emigration, and fearful White South Africans armed themselves.

The Minister of Native Affairs declared that apartheid was a model for the world. The Minister of Justice called for calm and the Minister of Finance encouraged immigration. The only Minister who showed any misgivings regarding government policy was Paul Sauer. His protest was ignored, and the government turned a blind eye to the increasing protests from industrialists and leaders of commerce. A deranged White man, David Pratt , made an assassination attempt on Dr. Verwoerd , who was seriously injured.

A week after the state of emergency was declared the African National Congress (ANC) and the PAC were banned under the Unlawful Organisations Act of 8 April 1960. Both organisations were deemed a serious threat to the safety of the public and the vote stood at 128 to 16 in favour of the banning. Only the four Native Representatives and members of the new Progressive Party voted against the Bill.

In conclusion; Sharpeville , the imposition of a state of emergency, the arrest of thousands of Black people and the banning of the ANC and PAC convinced the anti-apartheid leadership that non-violent action was not going to bring about change without armed action. The ANC and PAC were forced underground, and both parties launched military wings of their organisations in 1961.

Soweto uprising

The June 16 1976 Uprising that began in Soweto and spread countrywide profoundly changed the socio-political landscape in South Africa. Events that triggered the uprising can be traced back to policies of the Apartheid government that resulted in the introduction of the Bantu Education Act in 1953. The rise of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) and the formation of South African Students Organisation (SASO) raised the political consciousness of many students while others joined the wave of anti-Apartheid sentiment within the student community. When the language of Afrikaans alongside English was made compulsory as a medium of instruction in schools in 1974, black students began mobilizing themselves. On 16 June 1976 between 3000 and 10 000 students mobilized by the South African Students Movement 's Action Committee supported by the BCM marched peacefully to demonstrate and protest against the government’s directive. The march was meant to culminate at a rally in Orlando Stadium.

On their pathway they were met by heavily armed police who fired teargas and later live ammunition on demonstrating students. This resulted in a widespread revolt that turned into an uprising against the government. While the uprising began in Soweto, it spread across the country and carried on until the following year.

The aftermath of the events of June 16 1976 had dire consequences for the Apartheid government. Images of the police firing on peacefully demonstrating students led an international revulsion against South Africa as its brutality was exposed. Meanwhile, the weakened and exiled liberation movements received new recruits fleeing political persecution at home giving impetus to the struggle against Apartheid. 

Bantu Education Policy

The word ‘ Bantu ’ in the term Bantu education is highly charged politically and has derogatory connotations. The Bantu Educational system was designed to ‘train and fit’ Africans for their role in the newly (1948) evolving apartheid society. Education was viewed as a part of the overall apartheid system including ‘homelands’, urban restrictions, pass laws and job reservation. This role was one of labourer, worker, and servant only. As H.F Verwoerd, the architect of the Bantu Education Act (1953) , conceived it:

“There is no place for [the African] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labour. It is of no avail for him to receive a training which has as its aim, absorption in the European community”

Pre-apartheid education of Africans

It is mistaken however, to understand that there was no pre-apartheid educational marginalization of black South Africans. Long before the historic 1948 white elections that gave the Nationalist Party power, there was a system of segregated and unequal education in the country. While white schooling was free, compulsory and expanding, black education was sorely neglected. Financial underprovision and an urban influx led to gravely insufficient schooling facilities, teachers and educational materials as well as student absenteeism or non-enrolment. A 1936 Inquiry identified problems, only to have almost nothing done about these needs.

Bantu education and the racist compartmentalizing of education.

In 1949 the government appointed the Eiselen Commission with the task of considering African education provision. The Commission recommended 'resorting to radical measures' for the 'effective reform of the Bantu school system'.

In 1953, prior to the apartheid government's Bantu Education Act, 90% of black South African schools were state-aided mission schools. The Act demanded that all such schools register with the state, and removed control of African education from the churches and provincial authorities. This control was centralized in the Bantu Education Department, a body dedicated to keeping it separate and inferior. Almost all the mission schools closed down. The Roman Catholic Church was largely alone in its attempt to keep its schools going without state aid. The 1953 Act also separated the financing of education for Africans from general state spending and linked it to direct tax paid by Africans themselves, with the result that far less was spent on black children than on white children.

In 1954--5 black teachers and students protested against Bantu Education. The African Education Movement was formed to provide alternative education. For a few years, cultural clubs operated as informal schools, but by 1960 they had closed down.

The Extension of University Education Act, Act 45 of 1959, put an end to black students attending white universities (mainly the universities of Cape Town and Witwatersrand). Separating tertiary institutions according to race, this Act set up separate 'tribal colleges' for black university students. The so-called 'bush' Universities such as Fort Hare, Vista, Venda, Western Cape were formed. Blacks could no longer freely attend white universities. Again, there were strong protests.

Expenditure on Bantu Education increased from the late 1960s, once the apartheid Nationalist government saw the need for a trained African labour force. Through this, more African children attended school than under the old missionary system of education, albeit grossly deprived of facilities in comparison with the education of other races, especially whites.

Nationally, pupil:teacher ratios went up from 46:1 in 1955 to 58:1 in 1967. Overcrowded classrooms were used on a rota basis. There was also a lack of teachers, and many of those who did teach were underqualified. In 1961, only 10 per cent of black teachers held a matriculation certificate [last year of high school]. Black education was essentially retrogressing, with teachers being less qualified than their students.

The Coloured Person's Education Act of 1963 put control of 'coloured' education under the Department of Coloured Affairs. 'Coloured' schools also had to be registered with the government. 'Coloured' education was made compulsory, but was now effectively separated from white schooling.

The 1965 Indian Education Act was passed to separate and control Indian education, which was placed under the Department of Indian Affairs. In 1976, the SAIC took over certain educational functions. Indian education was also made compulsory.

Because of the government's 'homelands' policy, no new high schools were built in Soweto between 1962 and 1971 -- students were meant to move to their relevant homeland to attend the newly built schools there. Then in 1972 the government gave in to pressure from business to improve the Bantu Education system to meet business's need for a better trained black workforce. 40 new schools were built in Soweto. Between 1972 and 1976 the number of pupils at secondary schools increased from 12,656 to 34,656. One in five Soweto children were attending secondary school.

Oppression through inferior education and the 1976 Soweto uprising

An increase in secondary school attendance had a significant effect on youth culture. Previously, many young people spent the time between leaving primary school and obtaining a job (if they were lucky) in gangs, which generally lacked any political consciousness. But now secondary school students were developing their own. In 1969 the black South African Student Organization (SASO) was formed.

Though Bantu Education was designed to deprive Africans and isolate them from 'subversive' ideas, indignation at being given such 'gutter' education became a major focus for resistance, most notably in the 1976 Soweto uprising. In the wake of this effective and clear protest, some reform attempts were made, but it was a case of too little, too late. Major disparities in racially separate education provision continued into the 1990s.

When high-school students in Soweto started protesting for better education on 16 June 1976, police responded with teargas and live bullets. It is commemorated today by a South African national holiday, Youth day, which honors all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle against Apartheid and Bantu Education.

In the 1980s very little education at all took place in the Bantu Education system, which was the target of almost continuous protest. The legacy of decades of inferior education (underdevelopment, poor self-image, economic depression, unemployment, crime, etc.) has lasted far beyond the introduction of a single educational system in 1994 with the first democratic elections, and the creation of the Government of National Unity.

Strikes in the Schools

Presumably, not all students of the earlier generation 'worshipped the school authorities'! The first, recorded stoppages of lessons, (always called strikes in the South African newspapers), and the first riots in African schools occurred in 1920. In February, students at the Kilnerton training centre went on a hunger strike 'for more food'... read on

Cape Schools Join the Revolt

The school students in Cape Town reacted to the news they heard of events in Soweto. A teacher at one of the Coloured schools was later to write: 'We haven't done much by way of teaching since the Soweto riots first began. Kids were restless, tense and confused. 'There is no similar record of what the African children thought, but it is known that they were aware of the extra police patrols that were set up in the townships following June 16. After the first shootings in Cape Town, a teacher at one of the schools recounted... read on

The NUSAS Issue

Throughout the 1960's black students campaigned for the right to affiliate to the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS) and just as steadfastly, the move was vetoed by the campus authorities. NUSAS was also keen to welcome the colleges into their fold. Not only would this make it the largest student organisation in the country, but it would also bring into the liberal ''old all student opponents of the government's apartheid policy.... read on

Down with Afrikaans

Countdown to conflict: The main cause of the protests that started in African schools in the Transvaal at the beginning of 1975 was a directive from the Bantu Education Department that Afrikaans had to be used on an equal basis with English as one of the languages of instruction in the department's secondary schools... read on

The introduction of Afrikaans alongside English as a medium of instruction is considered the immediate cause of the Soweto uprising, but there are a various factors behind the 1976 student unrest. These factors can certainly be traced back to the Bantu Education Act introduced by the Apartheid government in 1953. The Act introduced a new Department of Bantu Education which was integrated into the Department of Native Affairs under Dr Hendrik F. Verwoerd. The provisions of the Bantu Education Act and some policy statements made by the Bantu Education Department were directly responsible for the uprisings. Dr Verwoerd, who engineered the Bantu Education Act, announced that “Natives (blacks) must be taught from an early age that equality with Europeans (whites) is not for them”.

Although the Bantu Education Act made it easier for more children to attend school in Soweto than it had been with the missionary system of education, there was a great deal of discontent about the lack of facilities. Throughout the country there was a dire shortage of classrooms for Black children. There was also a lack of teachers and many of the teachers were under-qualified. Nationally, pupil-to-teacher ratios went up from 46:1 in 1955 to 58:1 in 1967. Because of the lack of proper classrooms and the crippling government homeland policy, students were forced to return to “their homelands” to attend the newly built schools there.

The government was spending far more on White education than on Black education; R644 was spent annually for each White student, while only R42 was budgeted for a Black school child. In 1976 there were 257 505 pupils enrolled in Form 1 at high schools which had a capacity for only 38 000 students.

To alleviate the situation pupils who had passed their standard six examinations were requested to repeat the standard. This was met with great resentment by the students and their parents. Although the situation did not lead to an immediate revolt, it certainly served to build up tensions prior to the 1976 student uprising.

In 1975 the government was phasing out Standard Eight (or Junior Certificate (JC)). By then, Standard Six had already been phased out and many students graduating from Primary Schools were being sent to the emerging Junior Secondary Schools. It was in these Junior Secondary schools that the 50-50 language rule was to be applied.

The issue that caused massive discontent and made resentment boil over into the 1976 uprising was a decree issued by the Bantu Education Department. Deputy Minister Andries Treurnicht sent instructions to the School Boards, inspectors and principals to the effect that Afrikaans should be put on an equal basis with English as a medium of instruction in all schools. These instructions drew immediate negative reaction from various quarters of the community. The first body to react was the Tswana School Boards, which comprised school boards from Meadowlands, Dobsonville and other areas in Soweto. The minutes of the meeting of the Tswana School Board held on 20 January 1976 read:

 "The circuit inspector told the board that the Secretary for Bantu Education has stated that all direct taxes paid by the Black population of South Africa are being sent to the various homelands for educational purposes there. 

"In urban areas the education of a Black child is being paid for by the White population, that is English and Afrikaans speaking groups. Therefore the Secretary for Bantu Education has the responsibility of satisfying the English and Afrikaans-speaking people. Consequently, as the only way of satisfying both groups, the medium of instruction in all schools shall be on a 50-50 basis.... In future, if schools teach through a medium not prescribed by the department for a particular subject, examination question papers will only be set in the medium with no option of the other language".

Teachers also raised objections to the government announcement. Some Black teachers, who were members of the African Teachers Association of South Africa, complained that they were not fluent in Afrikaans. The students initially organised themselves into local cultural groups and youth clubs. At school there was a significant number of branches of the Students Christian Movements (SCMs), which were largely apolitical in character. SASM penetrated these formations between 1974 and 1976. And when conditions ripened for the outbreak of protests, SASM formed an Action Committee on 13 June 1976, which was later renamed the Soweto Student Representative Council (SSRC). They were conscientised and influenced by national organisations such as the Black Peoples' Convention (BPC), South African Student Organisations (SASO)and by the Black Consciousness philosophy. They rejected the idea of being taught in the language of the oppressor.

The uprising took place at a time when liberation movements were banned throughout the country and South Africa was in the grip of apartheid. The protest started off peacefully in Soweto but it turned violent when the police opened fire on unarmed students. By the third day the unrest had gained momentum and spread to townships around Soweto and other parts of the country. The class of 1976 bravely took to the streets and overturned the whole notion that workers were the only essential force to challenge the apartheid regime. Indeed, they succeeded where their parents had failed. They not only occupied city centres but also closed schools and alcohol outlets.

June 16 Soweto Youth Uprising

The release of Nelson Mandela and unbanning of liberation movements The announcement by President FW de Klerk to release Nelson Mandela and unban the African National Congress (ANC), Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and other liberation movements was  received with mixed feelings inside and outside Parliament. Black and White South Africans celebrated the news as they were optimistic that the country was taking a turn for the better.  In Cape Town , Archbishop Mpilo Desmond Tutu was at St George's Cathedral with his congregation ready to celebrate an event he considered as the Second Coming.

It is believed that de Klerk’s decision to release Mandela and to unban political parties was the result of the following factors. Firstly, South Africa had been isolated through international trade sanctions to the extent that the South African economy was severely handicapped.  Coupled with this, the multiple States of Emergency measures enacted by the Apartheid State had consistently failed to quell the uprisings. Lastly South Africa was almost totally isolated from the international community in terms of cultural and sporting events.

This milestone was followed by tension-driven negotiations aimed at transferring power from white minority to the majority of South Africans. Though it brought about democracy, this journey was not totally without obstacles. These ranged from intensification of political violence in some parts of South Africa to unilateral declarations by some groups to break away from South Africa and form their own homelands. Some scholars have argued that de Klerk narrowly avoided a civil war that would have been severely detrimental to the country and the region as a whole. The decision taken by de Klerk was not an easy one, as he faced opposition not only from the political opponents, but also from his own party ( National Party ).

https://mg.co.za/article/2015-03-21-south-africa-remembering-the-sharpeville-massacre | http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/sharpeville-massacre-21-march-1960 | http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/langa-march-30-march-1960 | http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/june-16-soweto-youth-uprising | http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/fw-de-klerk-announces-release-nelson-mandela-and-unbans-political-organisations

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Bantu Education

"In 1953 the government passed the Bantu Education Act, which the people didn't want. We didn't want this bad education for our children. This Bantu Education Act was to make sure that our children only learnt things that would make them good for what the government wanted: to work in the factories and so on; they must not learn properly at school like the white children. Our children were to go to school only three hours a day, two shifts of children every day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, so that more children could get a little bit of learning without government having to spend more money. Hawu! It was a terrible thing that act." Baard and Schreiner, My Spirit is Not Banned, Part 2

There is no space for him [the "Native"] in the European Community above certain forms of labor. For this reason it is of no avail for him to receive training which has its aim in the absorption of the European Community, where he cannot be absorbed. Until now he has been subjected to a school system which drew him away from his community and misled him by showing him the greener pastures of European Society where he is not allowed to graze. (quoted in Kallaway, 92)

Bantu Education Act Essay (300 Words) + PDF

The Bantu Education Act of 1953 was a South African law that established a separate and inferior education system for black South Africans. This act was a key policy of apartheid, the system of institutionalized racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The act had far-reaching and long-lasting effects on the education and social mobility of black South Africans.

Related: 13 Bibliography of Bantu Education Act 1953

Under the Bantu Education Act, the government established separate schools for black South Africans and created a separate curriculum that was designed to train them for unskilled labour and menial jobs. This curriculum excluded many subjects that were taught in white schools, such as mathematics, science, and literature. Instead, it focused on subjects like agriculture, manual labour, and home economics, which were seen as more relevant to the lives of black South Africans.

The Bantu Education Act also drastically underfunded black schools, resulting in poor facilities, overcrowded classrooms, and a shortage of qualified teachers. The act required that all black schools be run by the government, which allowed the government to control the content of the curriculum and the hiring of teachers. This policy effectively excluded many qualified black teachers from the profession and left many schools without adequate staffing.

Related: 10 Effects & Impact of Bantu Education Act in South Africa 

The impact of the Bantu Education Act was profound. Black South Africans were denied access to quality education, which severely limited their opportunities for social mobility and economic advancement. The curriculum was designed to prepare black students for low-skilled jobs, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and reinforcing racial inequality. The act also led to the development of a separate and unequal education system, which contributed to the overall inequality and segregation of South African society.

Resistance to the Bantu Education Act was widespread and included protests, boycotts, and demonstrations by students, parents, and teachers. Many black schools refused to implement the new curriculum, and students often boycotted classes or went on strike to demand better education. The government responded to this resistance with harsh repression, including arrests, detentions, and violence.

Despite the resistance, the Bantu Education Act remained in effect until the end of apartheid in the early 1990s. The act left a lasting legacy on the education system and society of South Africa, and its effects continue to be felt today. Although South Africa has made significant strides in addressing the legacy of apartheid and promoting educational equality, much work remains to be done to fully address the inequality and injustices that were perpetuated by the Bantu Education Act.

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The introduction of Bantu education and the question of resistance, co-operation, non-collaboration or defiance?: the struggle for African schooling with special reference to Cape Town, 1945-1960

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When the Law Was Passed and Implemented and Why of Bantu Education Act?

When the Bantu Education Act was passed in 1953, it signaled the beginning of the end of state-funded education for black South Africans. The act was one of the key pieces of legislation of the apartheid era, and its effects are still felt today. The act was designed to bring about "separate development" of the races, and it did so by starving black schools of resources and forcing them to teach a curriculum that emphasized manual labor and discouraged critical thinking . The results were disastrous: black children were ill-prepared for the workforce, and black universities were unable to compete with their white counterparts. The Bantu Education Act was finally repealed in 1977, but its legacy continues to shape education in South Africa.

When was the Bantu Education Act passed?

The Bantu Education Act was passed in 1953 in South Africa. Prior to this, education for black South Africans was severely underfunded and inadequate. The Bantu Education Acteled to the establishment of black-only schools that were substandard in comparison to white schools. This act was a major factor in creating the educational inequality that still exists in South Africa today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the bantu education act, what does bantu stand for, what was the education like during apartheid in south africa, when did businesses force government to improve the bantu, what was the bantu education act quizlet.

Ella Bos is an experienced freelance article author who has written for a variety of publications on topics ranging from business to lifestyle. She loves researching and learning new things, especially when they are related to her writing. Her most notable works have been featured in Forbes Magazine and The Huffington Post.

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Essay on Bantu Education Act In English For Free

Table of Contents

Introduction

During the first few years following the introduction of the Bantu education act, the South African education system has been under constant scrutiny. As well as explaining the pros and cons of this policy, this article analyzes how it has impacted most mission schools and universities.

Bantu Education and Training Act for South African Schools

This 1965 law was passed by the South African Government as part of the Bantu Education Act. All black children living in designated areas are required to receive compulsory basic education regardless of their family income or social standing.

All South African students are educated in their native language through the Bantu education act. Schoolchildren must be taught their primary language and culture under the 1961 act.

Bantu Education system’s main objectives

In South Africa, the Bantu education movement has three main objectives: empowering black South African people through education, building institutional capacity in black native education, and promoting African education research through government funding. Students’ performance and black teachers’ quality are also improved under the act.

Despite their race, all children in South Africa deserve equal access to education through the Bantu Education Act. As well as encouraging racial integration in schools, the Act encourages diversity in the classroom. In addition to creating a pool of black professionals who could compete globally, the act seeks to create a source of skilled black professionals.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Several landmark pieces of legislation have been passed in South Africa relating to the black education system. Aiming to achieve equity in educational opportunities for both white South Africans and black South Africans, it was passed to address decades of segregation and inequality in schooling.

Despite its affirmative action provisions and being heavily reliant on private donations, the act is controversial. The act, according to supporters, has improved black South Africans’ education quality and reduced inequality in education. White students have benefited more from the act than black students, according to critics, and it has failed to address the root causes of educational inequality in government-run schools.

Comprising with another education movement

There are a number of pieces of legislation that govern South Africa’s education system, including the Bantu education act. Several amendments have been made to the act since it was passed in 1955. Various subjects are covered, including elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education. African children are given the same educational opportunity as white children under the act.

This act is written in five different languages – English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu, and Swazi. This has presented some difficulties in its implementation. Each language must be taught separately in different schools. Many students have difficulty learning two or more languages simultaneously because they have to learn both languages simultaneously, which can be challenging.

As well as racial segregation in high schools, the act contains several provisions related to it. Black Schools and colored are usually separated from schools for whites with state aid.

Black children are denied the same opportunities as their white counterparts, as many people consider this an infringement of their human rights. It is significant to note that the segregation provisions have remained largely unchanged over time despite these criticisms.

Like many black people communities, My community also faces a variety of challenges, especially since I am an attorney practicing in the African-American community. African Americans and minorities have been targeted by law enforcement more frequently in recent years.

Officers involved in this aggressive policing have faced little or no consequences for profiling and harassing innocent people. A rich context for understanding oppressive police behavior is provided by the Bantu education essay, which traces its roots back centuries to centuries of institutional racism.

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Youth Day in South Africa: Understanding Our History

Youth Day on 16 June is a public holiday in South Africa and commemorates a protest which resulted in a wave of protests across the country known as the Soweto uprising of 1976.

South Africa (16 June 2018)  – It came in response to multiple issues with the Bantu Education Act and the government edict in 1974 that Afrikaans be used as a medium of instruction for certain subjects in black schools. The iconic picture of Hector Pieterson, a black schoolchild shot by the police, brought home to many people within and outside of South Africa the effect of the struggle during the Apartheid government’s reign.

The Soweto uprising was a series of demonstrations and protests led by black schoolchildren in South Africa that began on the morning of 16 June 1976.

Black South African high school students in Soweto protested against the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974, which forced all-black schools to use Afrikaans and English in a 50–50 mix as languages of instruction. The Regional Director of Bantu Education (Northern Transvaal Region), J.G. Erasmus, told Circuit Inspectors and Principals of Schools that from 1 January 1975, Afrikaans had to be used for mathematics, arithmetic, and social studies from standard five (7th grade), according to the Afrikaans Medium Decree; English would be the medium of instruction for general science and practical subjects (home craft, needlework, woodwork, metalwork, art, agricultural science).

Indigenous languages would only be used for religious instruction, music, and physical culture.

On the morning of 16 June 1976, over 20,000 black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally to protest against having to learn through Afrikaans in school. Many students who later participated in the protest arrived at school that morning without prior knowledge of the protest, yet agreed to become involved. The protest was planned by the Soweto Students’ Representative Council’s (SSRC) Action Committee, with support from the wider Black Consciousness Movement (BCM). Teachers in Soweto also supported the march after the Action Committee emphasised good discipline and peaceful action.

Tsietsi Mashinini led students from Morris Isaacson High School to join up with others who walked from Naledi High School.

The students began the march only to find out that police had barricaded the road along their intended route. The leader of the action committee asked the crowd not to provoke the police, and the march continued on another route, eventually ending up near Orlando High School.

“The crowd of between 3,000 and 10,000 students made their way towards the area of the school. Students sang and waved placards with slogans such as, “Down with Afrikaans”, “Viva Azania” and “If we must do Afrikaans, Vorster must do Zulu”.” Related Story Spotlight Turns to the Women Honorary Rangers Protecting SA’s Natural Heritage

The police set their dog on the protesters, who responded by killing it. The police then began to shoot directly at the children.

Among the first students to be shot dead were 15-year-old Hastings Ndlovu and 13-year-old Hector Pieterson, who were shot at Orlando West High School. The photographer Sam Nzima took a photograph of a dying Hector Pieterson as he was carried away by Mbuyisa Makhubo and accompanied by his sister, Antoinette Sithole. The photograph became the symbol of the Soweto uprising.

The police attacks on the demonstrators continued, and over 700 people died in Soweto. Among them was Dr Melville Edelstein, who had devoted his life to social welfare among blacks. He was stoned to death by the mob and left with a sign around his neck proclaiming “Beware Afrikaners”.

The violence escalated, as bottle stores and beer halls—seen as outposts of the apartheid government—were targeted, as were the official outposts of the state. The violence abated by nightfall. Police vans and armoured vehicles patrolled the streets throughout the night.

Emergency clinics were swamped with injured and bloody children. The police requested that the hospital provide a list of all victims with bullet wounds to prosecute them for rioting. The hospital administrator passed this request to the doctors, but the doctors refused to create the list. Doctors recorded bullet wounds as abscesses.

The 1,500 heavily armed police officers deployed to Soweto on 17 June carried weapons including automatic rifles, stun guns, and carbines. They drove around in armoured vehicles with helicopters monitoring the area from the sky. The South African Army was also ordered on standby as a tactical measure to show military force. Crowd control methods used by South African police at the time included mainly dispersment techniques.

“I remember on the 15 June 1976, just two months after my 16th birthday, when I woke up early in the morning, before the usual time, to prepare myself to go to school at Lofentse… as I was about to leave, I heard my mother from her bedroom saying, “Thabiso don’t forget to pay the rent before going to school”. I didn’t care about being punished for arriving late at school as I rushed to the office to pay rent. June 1976 was an extraordinary cold winter month, and the air was full of tension, when I went to school. Lofentse secondary was a school that should not have existed, I thought to myself, as I walked down the Mooki street in Orlando East, on my way to Lofentse to be taught Bantu education in Afrikaans… Little did I know that I’ll soon find myself caught between flying bullets from R4 assault rifles of the security forces of the Apartheid system, and their vicious police dogs, or becoming a victim of a stampede, caught up in grey dense clouds of suffocating teargas, accompanied by rattling sounds of helicopters above Soweto skies…

The aftermath of the uprising established the leading role of the ANC in the anti-apartheid struggle, as it was the body best able to channel and organise students seeking the end of apartheid. So, although the BCM’s ideas had been important in creating the climate that gave the students the confidence to strike out, it was the ANC’s non-racialism which came to dominate the discourse of the anti-apartheid movement amongst blacks.

The perspectives set out in Joe Slovo’s essay No Middle Road – written at just this time and predicting the apartheid government had only the choice between more repression and overthrow by the revolutionaries – were highly influential.

The clashes also occurred at a time when the South African Government was being forced to “transform” apartheid in international eyes towards a more “benign” form. In October 1976, Transkei, the first Bantustan, was proclaimed “independent” by the South African Government. This attempt to showcase supposed South African “commitment” to self-determination backfired, however, when Transkei was internationally derided as a puppet state.

For the state, the uprising marked the most fundamental challenge yet to apartheid and the economic and political instability it caused was heightened by the strengthening international boycott. It was a further 14 years before Nelson Mandela was released, but at no point was the state able to restore the relative peace and social stability of the early 1970s as black resistance grew.

“Many white South African citizens were outraged at the government’s actions in Soweto, and about 300 white students from the University of the Witwatersrand marched through Johannesburg’s city centre in protest of the killing of children. Black workers went on strike as well and joined them as the campaign progressed. Riots also broke out in the black townships of other cities in South Africa.”

Student organisations directed the energy and anger of the youth toward political resistance. Students in Thembisa organised a successful and non-violent solidarity march, but a similar protest held in Kagiso led to police stopping a group of participants and forcing them to retreat, before killing at least five people while waiting for reinforcements.

The violence only died down on 18 June.

The University of Zululand’s records and administration buildings were set ablaze, and 33 people died in incidents in Port Elizabeth in August. In Cape Town, 92 people died between August and September.

Most of the bloodshed had abated by the close of 1976, but by that time the death toll stood at more than 700.

The continued clashes in Soweto caused economic instability. The South African rand devalued fast, and the government was plunged into a crisis.

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 392 which strongly condemned the incident and the apartheid government.

A week after the uprising began, Henry Kissinger, the United States Secretary of State, met the South African State President, B. J. Vorster in West Germany to discuss the situation in Rhodesia, but the Soweto uprising did not feature in their discussions. Kissinger and Vorster met again in Pretoria in September 1976, with students in Soweto and elsewhere protesting his visit, and being fired on by police.

African National Congress (ANC) exiles called for international action and more economic sanctions against South Africa.

The 16th of June 1976 started a revolution that would see the end of Apartheid and the beginning of a new South Africa.

“The time will come when our nation will honour the memory of all the sons, the daughters, the mothers, the fathers, the youth and the children who, by their thoughts and deeds, gave us the right to assert with pride that we are South Africans, that we are Africans, and that we are citizens of the world.” – Nelson Mandela

Sources: South Africa History | Youth Day

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April 1, 1955: ANC Protest Bantu Education Act

Here is how the Minister of Bantu Education Dr. H. F. Verwoerd described the need for the Act to Parliament:

Learn more at South African History Online .

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25 Questions and Answers Based on Bantu Education Act

Understanding the Bantu Education Act: 15 Questions and Answers for Grade 12 Learners

The Bantu Education Act of 1953 was one of apartheid South Africa’s most significant and detrimental legislative acts. Designed to limit the educational opportunities and achievements of the country’s Black majority, it had lasting effects on generations of South Africans.

For Grade 10 – 12 learners examining this dark chapter in history, here’s a Q&A primer:

• What was the Bantu Education Act? Answer: The Bantu Education Act (No. 47 of 1953) was a South African law that aimed to ensure the separation of educational facilities and opportunities between races, with particular focus on limiting educational opportunities for Black South Africans.
• Who introduced the Bantu Education Act? Answer: The act was introduced by the apartheid government, under the leadership of Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd, who was then the Minister of Native Affairs.
• What was the main aim of the Bantu Education Act? Answer: The primary aim was to prevent Black South Africans from receiving an education that would lead them to aspire to positions they wouldn’t be allowed to hold in society, thereby entrenching their position as laborers.
• How did the act change the education system for Black learners? Answer: It transferred control of African education from provincial administration to the Department of Native Affairs, effectively reducing the quality and access to education for Black students.
• Were mission schools affected by this act? Answer: Yes, mission schools (run by churches) lost state aid and were handed over to the government, stripping them of their autonomy.
• How did the curriculum for Black students change under this act? Answer: The curriculum was tailored to direct Black students into manual labor roles, focusing less on academic achievement and critical thinking.
• What was the medium of instruction in schools under this act? Answer: The medium of instruction in primary schools was the student’s home language. From the age of 10 onward, however, it was mandatory for schools to use Afrikaans and English equally.
• Did the act have any financial implications for Black education? Answer: Yes, the act reduced the funding available for Black education, leading to poor facilities, overcrowded classrooms, and underpaid teachers.
• What was the effect of the act on teachers? Answer: Many qualified Black teachers lost their jobs as the education system deteriorated. Moreover, the teachers were given inadequate training and were required to teach a curriculum they didn’t believe in.
• Were there protests against the Bantu Education Act? Answer: Yes, the act faced significant opposition. The most notable protest was the Soweto Uprising in 1976, where students protested against the mandatory use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction.
• What were the long-term implications of the Bantu Education Act? Answer: The act entrenched educational inequalities, leading to generations of Black South Africans being systematically undereducated, limiting their opportunities and economic mobility.
• Was the act ever repealed? Answer: Yes, with the end of apartheid, the act was repealed. However, the effects of the act continued to be felt for many years thereafter.
• Why is understanding the Bantu Education Act important for today’s generation? Answer: It offers insight into the roots of educational disparities in South Africa and underscores the importance of equitable access to quality education.
• How did the international community view the Bantu Education Act? Answer: The act, like many apartheid policies, was widely condemned internationally. It was seen as a blatant violation of human rights and equality.
• Did the act only affect Black South Africans? Answer: While primarily targeting Black South Africans, the act also indirectly affected Coloureds and Indians by creating an overall hierarchy of education, where White education was superior, and others were inferior.
• What was Dr. Hendrik Verwoerd’s infamous statement regarding Black education? Answer: Dr. Verwoerd, known as the architect of Bantu Education, famously stated, “There is no place for [the Bantu] in the European community above the level of certain forms of labor.”
• How were universities affected by this act? Answer: The act extended to tertiary education. The Extension of University Education Act of 1959 prohibited non-white students from attending most universities, leading to the creation of separate institutions for different racial groups.
• Was the quality of education the same for White and Black students? Answer: No, white students enjoyed a better quality of education with more resources, better facilities, and a broader curriculum. In contrast, Black students received a substandard education designed to prepare them for menial jobs.
• How did the government justify the Bantu Education Act? Answer: The apartheid government claimed that the act would provide education suited to the “culture” of Black South Africans. However, in reality, it aimed to keep Black South Africans subservient to white authority.
• How was the content in textbooks altered under this act? Answer: Textbooks were revised to fit the narrative of Black inferiority and white supremacy. Historical and cultural achievements of Black South Africans were either downplayed or omitted.
• Did the Bantu Education Act affect the dropout rates? Answer: Yes, the poor quality of education and lack of resources led to higher dropout rates among Black students, further limiting their opportunities in life.
• What role did the churches play in opposing the act? Answer: Many church groups, particularly those running mission schools, opposed the act. They believed in the value of education and its power to uplift communities. Despite losing state aid, some continued their educational missions with reduced resources.
• Did the act lead to any international sanctions? Answer: While the Bantu Education Act itself didn’t directly result in sanctions, it was a contributing factor in the international community’s broader criticism and subsequent sanctions against the apartheid regime.
• How did the act impact post-apartheid South Africa’s education system? Answer: The legacy of the Bantu Education Act is still felt today. The vast disparities created by the act left the post-apartheid government with significant challenges in leveling the educational playing field.
• What is the significance of understanding this act in the context of global civil rights movements? Answer: The Bantu Education Act, like Jim Crow laws in the U.S. or other discriminatory practices globally, showcases how systemic racism can be deeply entrenched in national policies. Studying it alongside global civil rights movements provides a holistic understanding of the fight for equality worldwide.

The Bantu Education Act was not just an isolated policy of apartheid South Africa but a manifestation of deeply-rooted racial prejudices. By delving deeper into this topic, Grade 12 learners can better appreciate the complexities of history and the intertwined relationship between education and social justice

FAQs from Past Exam Papers on the Bantu Education Act

Why the bantu education act is interesting or important to know about today.

The Bantu Education Act is important to know about today because it institutionalized racial segregation in education , deliberately designed to limit the educational opportunities of Black South Africans and maintain white supremacy . Understanding this act helps to grasp the historical roots of educational inequality in South Africa and its long-lasting impacts on society.

What are the two biggest problems with the Bantu Education Act?

The two biggest problems with the Bantu Education Act were:

• Inferior Quality of Education : The curriculum was designed to provide only the basic skills needed for manual labor, perpetuating economic disparities.
• Racial Segregation : It enforced a separate and unequal education system that reinforced apartheid policies and limited social mobility for Black South Africans.

What changed with the Bantu Education Act being put in place and implemented?

With the implementation of the Bantu Education Act , the government took control of Black education from the mission schools, significantly reducing funding and resources for Black schools. The curriculum was tailored to prepare Black students only for subservient roles in society, entrenching racial inequality .

What attitudes did people have to the Law Bantu Education Act?

The Bantu Education Act was met with widespread opposition and resentment. Many Black South Africans, along with anti-apartheid activists, viewed the law as a deliberate attempt to entrench racial discrimination and limit their opportunities. Protests, boycotts, and strikes were common responses to this oppressive law.

How did Bantu education affect people’s lives?

Bantu education limited the educational and economic opportunities of Black South Africans, reinforcing poverty and inequality. It stunted intellectual growth and development, creating a legacy of underdevelopment and socio-economic disparity that continues to affect South Africa today.

What was the aim of Bantu education?

The aim of Bantu education was to provide an inferior education that prepared Black South Africans for a life of manual labor and servitude, ensuring they remained subservient to the white population and sustaining the apartheid system.

How did the Bantu education Act promote apartheid?

The Bantu Education Act promoted apartheid by legally entrenching racial segregation in education, ensuring that Black South Africans received a vastly inferior education compared to their white counterparts. This reinforced the socio-economic divide and maintained white dominance.

When and why was the Bantu Education Act implemented in South Africa?

The Bantu Education Act was implemented in 1953 to centralize control over the education of Black South Africans under the apartheid government. Its purpose was to ensure that education reinforced the broader goals of apartheid by limiting the opportunities available to Black individuals.

How did photographers react to Bantu education act?

Photographers played a crucial role in documenting the effects of the Bantu Education Act , capturing images that highlighted the disparities and struggles faced by Black students. These photographs were used to raise awareness and galvanize opposition to apartheid policies both locally and internationally.

What powers did Bantu Education Act law give the government?

The Bantu Education Act gave the government the power to control the content and administration of Black education, including curriculum design, teacher appointments, and funding. This ensured that the education system served the apartheid agenda.

What do you think the long-term effects of the Bantu Education Act were regarding education?

The long-term effects of the Bantu Education Act regarding education include deep-seated educational disparities , with many Black South Africans receiving poor-quality education that hindered their socio-economic advancement. The act’s legacy continues to affect the education system, contributing to ongoing challenges in achieving equal educational opportunities and outcomes.

Interviewing Someone Who Was Affected by Bantu Education Act: Guide

How to Interview Someone Affected by Bantu Education: A Comprehensive Guide with Sample Questions and Scenario.

Interviewing individuals affected by the Bantu Education syste m can provide valuable insights into the social, psychological, and economic repercussions of this policy. This form of education was part of South Africa’s apartheid system, designed to limit educational opportunities for Black South Africans. Conducting such interviews with sensitivity and depth is essential to understand the nuanced experiences of those who lived through it. Below are ten sample questions that can guide an interviewer, followed by a fictional interview scenario.

Interviewing Someone Who Was Affected by Bantu Education: Guide

When interviewing someone who was affected by the Bantu Education system, it’s crucial to approach the conversation with sensitivity and a thorough understanding of the historical and emotional implications of the subject. Your goal should be to create a comfortable atmosphere where the interviewee can openly share their personal experiences and insights. Start by researching the Bantu Education system and its effects so you are well-informed and can ask relevant questions. Use open-ended questions to encourage in-depth responses and allow the person to elaborate on their experiences. For example, you might ask, “Can you describe how the Bantu Education system impacted your career opportunities?” or “What long-term societal impacts do you think the system has had?” Always remain respectful and avoid interrupting the interviewee. Finally, be prepared for emotional responses and provide the interviewee the space to express themselves fully.

10 Sample Interview Question about bantu education act

• Can you please start by telling me a little about your early educational experience under the Bantu Education system?
• How do you feel the Bantu Education system affected your career opportunities?
• Were there particular subjects or educational material that you felt were conspicuously absent from your schooling?
• How did the Bantu Education policy impact your self-esteem and self-worth?
• Can you share any experiences of resistance or subversion within the educational system?
• How did the Bantu Education system affect your social interactions and friendships?
• Were there any educators who made a positive impact despite the system’s limitations?
• How did your family react to the educational constraints placed upon you?
• What do you think the long-term societal impacts of Bantu Education have been?
• If you could change one thing about your educational experience, what would it be?

Interview Scenario with Fake Names for Guiding Purposes.

Interviewer: Good afternoon, Mr. Zwane. Thank you for agreeing to speak with me today.

Mr. Zwane: My pleasure.

Interviewer: Let’s start with your early educational experiences. Can you tell me a little about how the Bantu Education system affected you?

Mr. Zwane: Oh, it had a profound impact. The curriculum was so watered-down that it hardly prepared us for any advanced study or professional work.

Interviewer: How did this limitation affect your career opportunities?

Mr. Zwane: I wanted to be an engineer, but the subjects we were taught hardly scratched the surface of what was needed for a career in engineering.

Interviewer: Were there any subjects or educational materials that you felt were conspicuously absent?

Mr. Zwane: Absolutely. Subjects like advanced mathematics, science, and even history were either lacking or presented in a way that diminished our cultural background.

Interviewer: How did this system impact your self-esteem?

Mr. Zwane: It was designed to make us feel inferior, and it succeeded in many ways. However, my parents always reminded me of the value of self-worth.

Interviewer: Any experiences of resistance within the system?

Mr. Zwane: Yes, some of my teachers would secretly teach us topics that were not part of the official curriculum.

Interviewer: How did Bantu Education affect your social interactions?

Mr. Zwane: It created divisions. We were taught to occupy certain social and economic spaces and that limited our interactions.

Interviewer: Were there any educators who made a positive impact?

Mr. Zwane: Yes, Mrs. Smith, my English teacher, always encouraged us to read widely and think critically, despite the limitations of the system.

Interviewer: How did your family react?

Mr. Zwane: They were disappointed but also very supportive. They tried to supplement my education at home.

Interviewer: What do you think the long-term societal impacts have been?

Mr. Zwane: The system has had a lingering impact on employment, social mobility, and even the psyche of those who went through it.

Interviewer: If you could change one thing about your education, what would it be?

Mr. Zwane: I would change the entire system to make it more inclusive and geared toward genuine education rather than subjugation.

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100-300 Word Paragraph On Bantu Education Act In English

The lack of support and restrictions that native education had experienced since 1910 opened the door for severe state supervision over black education once the national party took office in 1948. This control signalled the end of the mission school system, which despite being a significant educational institution, had many difficulties.

In South Africa, Bantu education was created to supply the ruling class with cheap, obedient labour. Also, it was intended to address the urban crisis that had emerged as a result of industrialization and increased urbanisation in the 1940s and 1950s. This resulted from the post-second world war spread of secondary industrialization and the collapse of domestic agriculture. The number of working class residents in towns was growing, and transportation, housing, and wages were not sufficient for them.

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