Multikulturele onderwys in die VSA, Afrika en die RSA : 'n histories-vergelykende ondersoek en evaluering

Abstract

Multikulturele onderwys is die uitkoms van demokratiseringstendense wereldwyd. Die Verenigde State van Amerika, Zimbabwe en die Republiek van Suid-Afrika is as eksemplare geselekteer om die wordingsgang van multikulturele onderwys te ondersoek. Die wordingsgang toon duidelike ooreenkomste met die wordingsgang van gesegregeerde, monokulturele onderwysstelsels. Weerstand teen die eksklusiewe aard van monokulturele onderwys het uitgeloop op die ontwikkeling en implementering van multikulturele onderwys. In die Verenigde State van Amerika word die implementering van multikulturele onderwys wetlik afgedwing. Multikulturele onderwys in Zimbabwe word nie s6 intensiefverreken nie. In die onderwys van Zimbabwe val die klem oorwegend op Afrikanisering en lewensvoorbereiding en daarna op die optimale hantering van kultuurdiversiteit. Onderwys in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika is steeds gesegregeer en hoofsaaklik monokultureel. Dit blyk uit die beleidsdokumente van onderwysbelanghebbendes dat 'n toekomstige onderwysbedeling dieselfde weg as die in Zimbabwe gaan volg. Die onderrig van samelewingsvaardighede word as prioriteit gestel.

Multicultural education is the consequence of universal trends towards democratisation. The United States of America, Zimbabwe and the Republic of South Africa were selected as exemplars to investigate the emergence of multicultural education. There are distinct similarities between this process and that of the development of segregated monocultural education systems. Opposition to the exclusive nature of monocultural education resulted in the establishment and implementation of multicultural education. In the United States of America multicultural education is enforced by legislation. Multicultural education in Zimbabwe is not applied as stringently. Zimbabwe's educational model emphasises Africanisation and the preparation for life, also proficiency in dealing with cultural diversity. Education in the Republic of South Africa remains segregated and predominately monocultural. From the policy documents of those parties interested in education it seems that any future educational dispensation will follow a course similar to that of Zimbabwe. The teaching of societal skills enjoys precedence.