Abstract:
The study investigated the incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into the formal Natural Science (NS) curriculum. Five schools were conveniently selected in Phongola, KwaZulu Natal Province to participate in the study. Headmasters, NS Heads of Departments (HODs), as well as NS teachers constituted the population of the study, and data was gathered through observations, document analysis, interviews and focus group discussions with participants. Data analysis, presentation and discussions proved that participants had a clear understanding of IKS. It emerged from the findings of the study that, incorporation of IKS into the formal NS curriculum would yield good benefits. These benefits include enabling learners to use their prior knowledge during the learning process, making it possible for NS teachers to use readily available indigenous visuals, equipping learners with entrepreneurial skills to start up their own businesses, making it possible for NS teachers to use educational field trips, as well as promoting diversity and unity in classes. There were however some challenges that were noted in the endeavour of incorporating IKS into the NS curriculum. These challenges include multiculturalism in South African schools, wrong perceptions and negative attitudes towards IKS, lack of Government commitment on the incorporation of IKS into the formal school curriculum, lack of official IKS study material and extinction of IKS. Findings of the study also revealed that there are numerous categories of IKS that can be incorporated into the formal NS curriculum. Some of these categories are traditional veterinary medicines, traditional diets and food processing methods, traditional medicines, weather forecast, environmental and disaster management, traditional values, uBuntu lenhlonipho (Humility and respect). Parental involvement in the form of encouraging their children to embrace IKS, and also being used as IKS resource persons in schools was seen by participants as a vital element in the process of incorporating IKS into the formal NS curriculum. From data analysis and presentation techniques and methods that could be used to incorporate IKS into the NS curriculum emerged. These techniques include reviewing the education policy to embrace IKS as a full-fledged knowledge strand in the NS curriculum, budgeting for IKS by the Ministry of Basic Education, documentation of IKS into the NS official study material as well as training NS teachers on IKS. Based on the findings of the study and literature review a 6 staged Madlela IKS incorporation into NS proposed model was developed for use in the incorporation of IKS into the formal NS school curriculum. The study then recommended that the Ministry of Basic Education should adopt the Madlela model and use it to incorporate IKS into the official NS curriculum. Before writing the background of the study in chapter 1, I started by introducing myself in order too enable the reader to understand my background.
