The amended Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Life Sciences
promotes the idea of grounding knowledge in local contexts in South African schools.
However, as inspired as the CAPS may be, it still remains a challenge for educators
who do not necessarily know the details of the various indigenous knowledge (IK)
within South Africa, and may not be disposed to teach such knowledge.
This is a qualitative case study which was conducted among Life Sciences educators
and learners at three schools in Gert Sibande District to explore the educators’ and
learners’ understanding of IK and how the educators integrated IK in their teaching.
The findings from semi-structured interviews, lesson observations and documents
revealed a limited understanding of the scientific principles and concepts upon which
IK can be integrated into the Life Sciences curriculum. The study offers
recommendations regarding the implementation of the integration of IK in Life
Sciences.
Setatamente sa Pholisi sa Kharikhulamo le Asasemente (CAPS) se se fetotswego sa
Thutamahlalebophelo se hlahlosa kgopolo ya tsebo ya mathomong ka tlhaloso ya gae
dikolong tsa Afrika Borwa. Le ge go le bjalo, le ge CAPS e ka ba e hlohleletswa, se ke
tlhohlo magareng ga bobedi baithuti le barutisi bao ba sa tsebego dintlha tsa go
fapafapana goba bohlokwa bja tsebo ya tlhago (IK) ka Afrika Borwa thutong ya
saense. Ka gona, ba kaba ba se na le maswanedi a go kopanya tsebo ge ba ruta.
Nyakisiso e somisitse mokgwa wa khwalithethifi magareng ga barutisi le baithuti ba
Thutamahlalebophelo dikolong tse tharo Seleteng sa Gert Sibande go lekola kwesiso
ya barutisi le baithuti ya IK le ka fao barutisi ba kopanyago, goba ba ikemiseditsego
go kopanya IK ka thutong ya bona. Go somisitswe mokgwa wa dipoledisano tsa
dipotsiso tseo di sego tsa rulaganywa, mokgwa wa go lekola thuto le tshekatsheko ya
ditokomane go kgoboketsa datha.
Dikutollo di laeditse gore go na le kwesiso ye e lekanyeditswego magareng ga baithuti
le barutisi ka melawana le dikgopolo tsa saense tseo go tsona IK e ka kopanywago
ka go kharikhulamo ya Thutamahlalebophelo. Nyakisiso e fa ditshisinyo tsa ka fao IK
e ka kopanywago ka go kharikhulamo ya Thutamahlalebophelo dikolong tsa Afrika
Borwa.
Isitatimende esichitshiyelwe seNqubomgomo Yombhalo ohlanganisa izifundo
Nokuhlola (CAPS) seSayensi Yokuphila sikhuthaza umqondo wokuqinisa ulwazi
ezimeni zendawo ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Afrika. Kodwa-ke, noma igqugquzelwe
kangakanani i-CAPS, kuyinselelo kothisha abangayazi imininingwane noma
ukufaneleka kwemiqondo eyahlukene yolwazi lwendabuko (IK) eNingizimu Afrika
esimeni sokufundisa isayensi. Ngakho-ke bangase bangahlomi kahle ukuhlanganisa
lolo lwazi ekufundiseni kwabo.
Ucwaningo ngokuchaza imininingwane lwenziwa phakathi kothisha beSayensi
Yokuphila kanye nabafundi ezikoleni ezintathu esifundazweni sase-Gert Sibande
ukuhlola ukuqonda kothisha nabafundi nge-IK nokuthi othisha bayihlanganisa kanjani,
noma bazimisele ukuyihlanganisa, i-IK ekufundiseni kwabo. Izingxoxo ezihleliwe,
ukubhekwa kwezifundo kanye nokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo kusetshenzisiwe
ekuqoqweni kwemininingwane.
Okutholakele kuveze ukuthi kunokuqonda okulinganiselwe phakathi kwabafundi
kanye nabafundisi bemigomo nemibono yesayensi lapho i-IK ingahlanganiswa khona
nombhalo ohlanganisa izifundo weSayensi Yokuphila. Lolu cwaningo lunikeza
iziphakamiso zokuthi i-IK ingahlanganiswa kanjani embhalweni ohlanganisa izifundo
weSayensi Yokuphila ezikoleni zaseNingizimu Afrika.
