Question 1544
DR JC Kloppers-Lourens (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
Whether the department has any plans to introduce political literacy as part of its broad curriculum; if not why; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
No. The National Curriculum Statement is a high knowledge curriculum that is informed by the principles of human rights, inclusively, environmental and social justice. As an example, life orientation, a compulsory subject for all learners, deals with citizenship in detail. It covers the following areas:
- Bill of Rights: Content, rights and responsibilities of South African citizens, role of government. Incidences of human rights violations and impact on individual and society
- Diversity: Various contexts of citizenship; diversity in day-to-day relationships and society at large
- Various political parties, interest groups, lobbying groups, etc. and their principles, processes and procedures in addressing the interests of civil society
- Participation in and/or involvement in constitutions, elections, representation of constituencies, mandates, lobbying, advocacy, running of meetings
- Participation in local community structures, such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs), community police forums, Representative Councils of Learners (RCLs), community clubs, etc.
Source: Department of Basic Education
