13/05/2026
🇿🇦 OUR STORY IS BEING REWRITTEN: HAVE YOUR SAY
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has released a massive draft overhaul of the History Curriculum (CAPS) for Grades 4 through 12. This isn't just a classroom change—it is a shift in our national consciousness.
What’s Changing?
The proposal moves toward an "African-centred" vantage point. The goal is to view global events—from ancient empires to modern revolutions—specifically through an African lens rather than a Eurocentric one.
The Draft Introduces:
• Scientific Archives: Using DNA analysis and archaeology to explore the "long past" of the continent.
• Oral Traditions: Using "memory," praise poetry, and idioms as formal historical evidence to recover voices marginalised in colonial records.
• Critical Thinking: Moving away from rote learning toward "historical thinking," where students interrogate how different versions of history are constructed.
Why This Matters to YOU
Whether or not you have children in school, this shapes our National Heritage and our future Civil Society. The Grade 12 curriculum focuses heavily on current debates around "economic freedom" and the "national question"—topics that will define our political and economic landscape for decades.
How to Participate
The Minister has stated that "public voices will shape the final product" and there are no preconceived outcomes. The deadline has been extended to 19 May 2026.
We’ve made it easy for you to have your say. Use our streamlined form to comment on specific grades or general concerns.
👉 TAKE ACTION HERE: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/new-history-curriculum/
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