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This TimeLine Looks at the History of South Africa's Educational Policies. These Policies can be used as Instructional Resources: The Parameters of this Timeline are set from 1994 to date

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1994: White Paper on Education Published

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1994: White Paper on Education Published

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The White Paper on Education and Training in a Democratic
South Africa: First Steps to Develop a New System, published in February 1995.

This Policy was an effective transitional policy post apartheid, as it meant to redress Apartheid policies so that they breed a fully integrated society, devoid of any forms of discrimination.

Underpinned by the SA Constitution, in respect to human rights, This policy outlines the new priorities, values and principles for the education and training system.

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1995: The South African Council of Educators (SACE) is founded

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1995: The South African Council of Educators (SACE) is founded

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The South African Council of Educators (SACE) was founded in September 1995.

Vision: Inspiring a credible teaching profession
Mission:  To register fit to practice educators & lecturers, promote their continuing professional development, and maintain the profession’s professional teaching and ethical standards.

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1995: The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act

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1995: The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act

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The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act (1995) that provides for the creation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF),

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What Your Qualification Means The different NQF Levels

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The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996)

This is highest law of South Africa, as a result should underpin all educational policy development processes. This

means that all educational policy must be firmly rooted in the Constitution.

(Section 29, 1996): “everyone has the right to basic education, including adult basic education” without discrimination of any sort."

All Policies on this Time-Line are guided by the Constitution.

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1996: The National Education Policy Act (NEPA), (Act 27) 

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1996: The National Education Policy Act (NEPA), (Act 27) 

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The National Education Policy Act (NEPA), 1996 (Act 27
of 1996) brought into law the policies, and legislative and
monitoring responsibilities of the Minister of Education, as
well as the formal relations between national and provincial
authorities.

The NEPA of 1996, Defined the powers and duties of the national and provincial education ministries.
It was basically set to monitor the responsibilities of the Minister of Education. Therefore, provided for the formulation of national policies for curriculum, assessment to name a few.

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Admission Policy for ordinary public schools (Notice 2432 of 1998) (1)

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1996: The South African Schools Act (SASA), (Act 84)

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1996: The South African Schools Act (SASA), (Act 84)

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The South African Schools Act (SASA), (Act 84 of 1996)
is aimed at ensuring that all learners have access to quality
education without discrimination, and makes schooling
compulsory for children aged seven to 15.
introduced School Governing Bodies (SGBs)
The priority for this policy was to redress past injustices and target poverty regarding the allocation of funds for the public-schooling system. while providing high quality education for all. Education that does not support any forms of discrimination; that protects the diversity that is embedded in our culture.

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As inspired by the South African Constitution, our diverse culture should be recognized in all education policies, as a matter of significance.

Thus this policy amongst other things, is tasked to promote multilingualism. To development respect of the official languages and South African Sign Language.

The new language in education policy is formulated of as an integral of the new government’s strategy of building a non-racial nation. Therefore, It is meant to inspire communication across the barriers.

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The Higher Education Act  (1997), The Higher Education Act and Education White Paper 3 on Higher Education (1999) formed the basis for the transformation of the higher education sector through an institutional planning and budgeting framework.

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Curriculum 2005,

Envisioned an educations system that moves away from a racist, apartheid, rote learning model of learning and teaching. To a transformations of building learner centered outcomes.

Outcomes Based Education (OBE) or formally known as Curriculum 2005 will forever be remembered as a curriculum that failed.

https://mg.co.za/article/2008-02-11-a-curriculum-that-failed/    click on the link to read more, as to why it was said to have failed.

With a strong critique of the C2005 process of introducing OBE into the school education system, the review process was commissioned in 2000 by the Department of Education. To which came the "Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (Schools)"

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What is a curriculum?
A curriculum is the learning plan, drawn up by the Department of Education,
for all schools. Broadly speaking the curriculum refers to the teaching and
learning activities and experiences provided by schools.

What were the main problems with Curriculum 2005?
It used difficult language and unfamiliar terms to replace familiar ones
It focused mainly on outcomes but neglected "inputs" - the subject
content of the curriculum.
It introduced a very complicated method for teachers to prepare their
classwork - which many people did not understand.
It tried to include too many elements, and under-emphasised the
importance of reading, writing and mathematics as the foundation of
learning.

It used a very sophisticated and difficult process to assess pupils'
achievement, which required a lot of administration and which most teachers
found difficult to implement.

It did not set levels of achievement for pupils in each learning area in
each grade. This meant that it was difficult to assess whether pupils had
made enough progress from one grade to the next.

It emphasised teachers creating their own learning materials - without
the necessary backing of text books or other resources in schools.

Did C2005 bring any benefits?
Yes, it did for many schools. One of the great advantages of the new
approach was that it stimulated debate in education about teaching and
learning. In many schools the approach of teachers and the attitudes of
learners improved.

C2005 introduced the principles of outcomes-based education, which enjoy
strong and widespread support. These will be retained in C21. For the first
time, values and attitudes were brought into the mainstream curriculum,
together with knowledge and skills.

Have children in the grades already taught under C2005 been disadvantaged?
There are many public schools where skilled, dedicated teachers mastered
C2005 while maintaining the important basics - reading, writing and
mathematics. Their pupils benefited very much from the extra dimensions in
C2005. However, in schools where reading, writing and mathematics were not
well established in the first place, these were sometimes weakened by the
implementation of C2005.

Does this mean that the national curriculum must be designed for the
weakest schools in the system? What does this imply for schools that can
achieve more?
A curriculum must establish firm education foundations that enable all
learners to achieve their potential and contribute to society. The
curriculum must be clear enough to be understood and implemented by the
weakest schools in the system. At the same time, the curriculum must allow
good schools to achieve as much as they can on this foundation, and aim to
compete with the best schools in the world. A good curriculum should not
limit a school's scope for additional development and achievement. It
should create opportunities for innovative teachers to enrich the learning
programme.

Many people worked very hard to introduce C2005 in schools. Some schools
have achieved great success with the new system. Won't people who devoted a
lot of time and effort to C2005 feel disillusioned by the change in course?
Yes, many of them may be feeling very despondent. This is understandable.
However, they will be in a very strong position to manage the transition to
C21 as they will have a firm grasp of the principles of outcomes-based
education. These will be retained in the new model, which will be far
easier to implement.

The review recommends that Curriculum 2005 should be phased out, but that
outcomes-based education (OBE) should be retained. What is the difference
between C2005 and OBE?
Outcomes-based education is a simple, effective approach to teaching and
learning. It starts by describing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and
values that young people should have acquired and developed by the time
they leave school. OBE begins with this end result in mind. On this basis,
curriculum experts and teachers design the educational programme and levels
of achievement for each year of a pupil's school career. In this way each
pupil should have the opportunity of developing the qualities that will
help him or her to lead a fulfilled and successful life and contribute to
society.

Curriculum 2005 is a particular model of OBE. However, the review committee
concluded that C2005 did not achieve its objectives because it is so
complex and because it assumed that the "basics" were already being
properly taught in all schools.

The proposed new curriculum, Curriculum 21, will maintain OBE principles
and build an implementable design on sound educational foundations.

If OBE begins with an end result in mind, what is the 'end result' that
Curriculum 21 will aim to achieve?
The "end result" that guides education in South Africa has been defined by
the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
SAQA has drawn up a 12-point list, known as the "critical outcomes" for the
whole education system. Curriculum 21 (like C2005) will strive to achieve
these outcomes.
These aim to ensure that all learners will:
1. Identify and solve problems in which their responses display that they
have made responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking.
2. Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or
community.
3. Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and
effectively.
4. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.
5. Communicate effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills
in the modes of oral and/or written presentation.
6. Use science and technology effectively and critically, showing
responsibility towards the environment and health of others.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by
recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

In order to contribute to the full personal development of each learner,
and social and economic development at large, any learning programme must
seek to make learners aware of the importance of:
1. Reflecting on and exploring a variety of strategies to learn more
effectively.
2. Participating as a responsible citizen in the life of local, national and
global communities.
3. Being culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social
contexts.
4. Exploring education and career opportunities
5. Developing entrepreneurial opportunities.

If C21 is retaining the overall goals of C2005, how will the curriculum be
changing?
The proposal is that C21 will prescribe clear content for each learning
area (unlike C2005). C21 will describe the knowledge, concepts and skills
that pupils should acquire in each grade, in an ordered sequence. It will
define what levels of achievement pupils should attain each year, so that
their progress can be monitored against the learning outcomes for that
grade.

C21 will place renewed emphasis on individual learning as well as group work.
One of the most important features of C21 is a renewed emphasis on reading,
writing and mathematics.

C21 will drop the excessively complicated design features of C2005 such as
the 66 specific outcomes, macro planning, phase organisers, programme
organisers, range statements and assessment criteria.

The review committee stresses the responsibility of the Education
Department to ensure that the curriculum is supported by proper learning
materials, particularly textbooks, that reach classrooms in time.

The committee also emphasises the importance of adequate teacher training
before major curriculum changes are introduced.

The important elements of C21 will be defined in a national curriculum
statement which will cover:
· Early Childhood Development (ECD)
· The General Education and Training band (GET - currently grades 1 to 9)
· The Further Education and Training band (FET - grades 10 to 12)
· Adult General Education and Training (AGET).

If C2005 failed some schools, how can we have more confidence that C21 will
succeed?
Curriculum 21 has a much better chance of succeeding because:
· It will state clearly what teachers have to teach, at what level, in each
learning area in each grade.
· It will define clearly what learners should know and be able to do in
each grade.
· It will enable learners' progress to be monitored.

Provincial education departments have learnt a great deal from the
difficulties of implementing C2005 and will take care to prevent these
problems in future. There is less chance that these problems will recur in
the far more streamlined C21 model. The Western Cape Education Department
will monitor the system regularly and carefully.

It is important to stress that C21 will have to be supported by good
textbooks and other learning materials in order to succeed. It will also
have to be based on sound teacher training. Unless this is done, C21 is
unlikely to succeed.

What is going to happen next? If C2005 is being phased out, when will C21
be phased in and what will happen in the meantime?
Professor Linda Chisholm, who will head the task team overseeing the
replacement of C2005 by C21, estimates that it will take a year (until June
2001) to prepare a comprehensive national curriculum statement to guide the
implementation of C21. In the meantime, she believes that things should
continue unchanged.

The management of the year ahead is likely to be the main topic of
discussion at the Council of Education Ministers meeting in Pretoria on
June 19.

What is the approach of the Western Cape Education Department to managing
the process between now and the introduction of C21?
The department will finalise its position after the meeting of the Council
of Education Ministers on June 19.

The position of Western Cape education minister Helen Zille is that C2005
should not be implemented in grade 8 next year. She believes the department
should concentrate its efforts on preparing for C21, which should be
introduced only if it is backed by proper teacher training and learning
materials (particularly textbooks). Until then, the present grade 8, and
its range of subject choices, should continue unaltered.

In Grade 4, Ms Zille wants to focus on aspects of OBE that will be retained
in C21, while making sure that the foundations of learning - reading,
writing and mathematics - are secured and strengthened.

In Grades 1,2,3 and 7 (where C2005 has already been introduced) she wants
to focus on correcting the curriculum weaknesses identified by the review
committee, in preparation for C21, and ensure that enough learning
materials are available.

In particular she supports the committee's recommendation that 70% of
classroom time in grades 1, 2 and 3 should be spent on mathematics and
language (particularly reading and writing). From grade 4 onwards, it is
recommended that 50% of classroom time must be spent on these learning
areas.

Particular attention will be paid to the production of learning materials,
particularly readers for children in grades 1,2 and 3.

Why did the review committee recommend that two learning areas, Technology,
and Economic & Management Sciences, be dropped in C21?
Many schools cannot offer these subjects because they do not have trained
teachers or equipment. The Western Cape Education Department is
investigating proposals for these learning areas. Ms Zille, believes that
schools with the capacity to offer these options beyond the core curriculum
should be encouraged to do so, as long as they do not sideline literacy and
numeracy.

Where should the time go?
The review committee recommends that all children in grades 1, 2 and 3
should spend more time on reading and writing each day than on anything
else, and that there should also be a solid block of time for mathematics.
The committee's proposals for time allocation in grades 1, 2 and 3 are
shown below. The Western Cape Education Department will ask teachers to
adjust to these time allocations immediately.

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YOUR CURRICULUM QUESTIONS ANSWERED Cape Argus, 8/6/2000
By Western Cape Education Department The purpose of this chart is to address the concerns and answer the
questions of parents who want to know more about the proposal to phase out
Curriculum 2005 and replace it with a streamlined version of o…

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1998: The Further Education and Training Act (1998)

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1998: The Further Education and Training Act (1998)

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Which provides the basis for developing a nationally coordinated further education and training system, comprising of the senior secondary component of schooling and technical colleges. It requires that further education and training institutions, created in terms of the new legislation, develop institutional plans, and provides for programmes-based funding and a national curriculum for learning and teaching.

provided the basis for developing a nationally co-ordinated further education and training system consisting of senior secondary component and technical colleges.

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1998: The Employment of Educators Act, (Act 76)

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1998: The Employment of Educators Act, (Act 76)

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The Employment of Educators Act, 1998 (Act 76 of 1998)
Sees to it that the professional, moral and ethical responsibilities of educators, as well as teachers’ competency requirements.

This policy is also underpinned by The Act and the South African Council for Educators (SACE)

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2000: The Education White Paper on Early Childhood Development(ECD)

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2000: The Education White Paper on Early Childhood Development(ECD)

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The Education White Paper on Early Childhood Development
(ECD) (2000) provided for the expansion and full participation of five-year-olds in pre-school Grade R education by 2010,

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2000: The Adult Basic Education and Training (Act 52)

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2000: The Adult Basic Education and Training (Act 52)

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The Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Act,
2000 (Act 52 of 2000) regulates ABET; provides for the
establishment, governance and funding of public adult
learning centers; provides for the registration of private adult
learning centers; and provides for quality assurance and
quality promotion in ABET.

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2000: Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (School

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2000: Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 (School

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The review outcomes led to the second iteration of the OBE philosophy. This was initially in the form of the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) later into the National Curriculum Statement (NCS).

The RNCS and NCS had fewer outcomes statement and assessment criteria.

More training of the teachers was needed. RNCS was introduced in 2004 and NCS came into being in 2007.

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2001: The Education White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education 

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2001: The Education White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education 

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The Education White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education (2001)
describes the DBE’s intention to implement inclusive education at all levels in the system by 2020.

The Aims

The inclusion  of vulnerable learners

Reduce the barriers to learning through

Improve the retention of learners in the education
system, particularly learners who are prone to dropping out.

Increase the number of special schools

It does this by addressing physical environments, teaching practices and attitudes of teachers or peers, towards learners with special needs..

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2002: The Education Laws Amendment Act, (Act 50)

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2002: The Education Laws Amendment Act, (Act 50)

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The Education Laws Amendment Act, 2002 (Act 50 of 2002)
set the age of admission to Grade 1 as the year in which the
child turns seven. However, the school-going age of Grade 1
was changed to age five, if children turned six on or before
30 June in their Grade 1 year.

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The admission age to an independent school for Grade 1 is age five turning six by 30 June in the year of admission, or by the latest in the year in which the child turns seven.

There are exceptions allowed in the South African Schools Act:

An independent school may admit a learner at an age lower than the admission age if:

(a) it can be shown that exceptional circumstances exist which necessitate the admission of an underage learner because admission would be in his or her best interest, and

(b) the refusal to admit that learners would be severely detrimental to his or her development.

Some independent schools believe that it is in the best interests of the children to start in Grade 1 in the year in which they turn seven. They, therefore, prefer not to admit learners who are not yet six on entry in January. This is a professional decision taken by the school and is perfectly acceptable in terms of the law regarding admissions age. Independent schools are not obliged to inform the provincial education department or the district office of their decision in this regard.

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The admission age to an independent school for Grade 1 is age five turning six by 30 June in the year of admission, or by the latest in the year in which the child turns seven.

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2002: The National Whole-School Evaluation. 

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2002: The National Whole-School Evaluation. 

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2003: Policy Document on Adult Basic Education and Training

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2003: Policy Document on Adult Basic Education and Training

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This White Paper sets out Government’s response to a new information and communications technology (ICT) environment in education.

Aims:

Every school has access to a wide choice of diverse, ICT Tools.

All learners and local communities to benefit.

Provide unlimited opportunities for personal growth and development to all.

Integrate ICT in Education for effective teaching and learning.

Bridge the digital divide

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This White Paper sets out Government’s response to a new information and communications technology (ICT) environment in education.

Aims:

Every school has access to a wide choice of diverse, ICT Tools.

All learners and local communities to benefit.

Provide unlimited opportunities for personal growth and development to all.

Integrate ICT in Education for effective teaching and learning.

Bridge the digital divide

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The SASA of 1996 was amended by the Education Laws
Amendment Act, 2005 (Act 24 of 2005), which authorises the
declaration of schools in poverty-stricken areas as “no-fee
schools”,

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2007: The National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

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2007: The National Qualifications Framework (NQF)

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The design of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF)
was refined with the publication of the Higher Education
Qualifications Framework in the Government Gazette in
October 2007, to provide 10 NQF levels.

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Or call 0860 142 142 between 8am and 8pm on weekdays or leave a message and we'll call back, or WhatsApp the word REGISTER to

You can also register by dialling *134*832# from any SA network for free.

Our Dashboards

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National Qualifications Framework (NQF) qualifications and unit standards

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Or call 0860 142 142 between 8am and 8pm on weekdays or leave a message and we'll call back, or WhatsApp the word REGISTER to You can also register by dialling *134*832# from any SA network for free.

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2012: Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Caps)

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2012: Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Caps)

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Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (Caps), was introduced into the school education system in 2012.

The knowledge content became a major focus  CAPS can be described as a restricted curriculum where the content to be taught, how it is to be taught and at what pace it is to be taught has been preset.

Teachers are given a handbook that specifies all of these details, including that of assessments and are expected to implement this curriculum in schools.

Teachers would, thus, need to know the content knowledge needed, how and when it should be delivered.

There will be further curriculum changes to the school education system, when time goes on, as expected.

https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/opinion/sas-school-journey-1806392

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2015: National Policy on the Conduct, Administration and Management of the Annual National Assessment (ANA)

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2015: National Policy on the Conduct, Administration and Management of the Annual National Assessment (ANA)

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ANA_Policy_Call for public comments_9 July 2015 (2)

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2016: National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper

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2016: National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper

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2017: Policy on the Quality Assurance of School Based Assessment (SBA) for Grade 10-12

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2017: Policy on the Quality Assurance of School Based Assessment (SBA) for Grade 10-12

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2019: Protocol for the Management and Reporting of Sexual Abuse and Harassment in Schools

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2019: Protocol for the Management and Reporting of Sexual Abuse and Harassment in Schools

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Sexual Abuse and Harassment in Schools march 2019 

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2021:  Regulations pertaining to the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12. 

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2021:  Regulations pertaining to the National Curriculum Statement Grades R-12. 

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2021: National Policy Pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements of the national Curriculum Statement Grades R-12

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2021: National Policy Pertaining to the Programme and Promotion Requirements of the national Curriculum Statement Grades R-12

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National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of the National Curriculum Statement Grades R – 12 published as Government Notices No. 1115 and 1116 in Government Gazette No. 36042 of 28 December 2012 and amended as: Government Notice No. 44173 in Government Gazette, No. 05 February 2021

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References

Department of Education (DoE). 1995. White Paper on Education and Training. Pretoria

Department of Education (DoE). 1997. Curriculum 2005. Learning for the 21st Century. Pretoria.

Department of Education (DoE). 1997. Education White Paper 3: A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education. Pretoria.

Department of Education (DoE). 1996. South African Schools Act, Government Gazette No. 84 of 1996.

Department of Education (DoE). 1998. Education White Paper 4: Programme for the Transformation of Further Education and Training. Pretoria.

Department of Education (DoE). 1999. National Strategy for Further Education and Training. 1999-2001: Preparing for the 21st Century through Education, Training and Work. Pretoria.

Department of Education (DoE). 2001a, Education White Paper 5 on Early

Childhood Education: Meeting the Challenge of Early Childhood

Development in South Africa, 1 May, Department of Education, Pretoria

Department of Education (DoE). 2001b, Education White Paper 6: Special Needs

Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System, 1 July,

Department of Education, Pretoria.

Department of Education (DoE). 2002 , “Policy: Revised National Curriculum

Statement Grades R-9 (Schools): Overview”, in Government Gazette,

Vol. 443, No. 23406, May.

Department of Education (DoE). 2003a, Draft White Paper on e-Education -

Transforming Learning and Teaching through ICT, August, Department

of Education Pretoria.

Department of Education (DoE). 2003c, Plan of Action: Improving Access to Free

and Quality Basic Education for All, 14 June, Department of Education,

Pretoria.

Government Printer. Department of Education. 1997. Report of the National Committee on Further Education: A Framework for the Transformation for Further Education and Training in South Africa. Pretoria: Government Printer.

Republic of South Africa (1996a), “The Constitution of the Republic of

South Africa 1996”, No. 108 of 1996, National Gazette, No 17678, 18

December, Pretoria.

Republic of South Africa (1996b), “National Education Policy Act 1996”,

No. 27 of 1996, Government Gazette, No. 17118, 24 April, Pretoria.

Republic of South Africa (1996c) “South African Schools Act 1996”, No.

84 of 1996, Government Gazette, No. 1867, 15 November, Pretoria.

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Published by TTE MDLADLAMBA (201021602)