As debates continue over proposed amendments to the Grade 4 to 12 history Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), voices from Stellenbosch University (SU) have joined wider conversations about the proposed draft.
The 30-day public comment period, originally set by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to close on 19 April, has been extended to 19 May.
The faculty of education’s library at Stellenbosch University. According to the Department of Basic Education, the curriculum review began with a task team in 2019 and opened for public comment on 20 March 2026. PHOTO: Jade Wainwright
The proposed amendments shift the curriculum away from traditionally Eurocentric content to foreground an African-centred approach. Across grades 4 to 12, the draft places greater emphasis on precolonial societies, early African civilisations and local histories. This is while scaling back on or replacing topics such as the US civil rights movement and parts of European political history.
Speaking to SMF News, Terence Khala, spokesperson for the DBE and acting director of communication and research, said the aim of the draft is to redress past inaccuracies and reframe South African history within the Global South context. He added that the goal is to promote critical thinking while keeping content relevant to the South African context.
Professor Francois Cleophas, associate professor and lecturer at SU, is excited that the CAPS curriculum is being reviewed, but expressed concerns about the timing and the content of the draft.
Cleophas questioned the release of “a school document that portrays the African National Congress (ANC) as the sole liberator of this country”, particularly in a year when local government elections will be held. Some critics have raised concerns that the new curriculum risks diminishing its intellectual and historical significance in favour of a particular political narrative. The reduction of Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) from a standalone topic in the matric syllabus to roughly two allotted hours in Grade 9 is a particular point of contention.
Cleophas said that underrepresenting the work of movements beyond the ANC could lead to “students who will walk away with only half the picture of the South African political and historical landscape”.
Dr. Tarryn Halsall, a lecturer in the Department of Curriculum Studies at SU whose focus is history education, noted this particular point when she raised concerns about the success and the practicality of the draft.
While she said that the shift towards an African-centred approach is necessary for decolonising the curriculum, she argued that the aim of the overhaul has not been fully achieved. Halsall added that the draft risks presenting Africa as isolated from global history, saying the focus should instead be on presenting how “Africa features within global history”.
Past editions of intermediate and senior phase social science textbooks at the faculty of education’s library at Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Jade Wainwright
Cleophas pointed out that the draft is heavily focused on political history, arguing that “a human being’s life isn’t only a political one”. He added that cultural and social dimensions, such as sports and art history, are largely absent, noting that “art is just as potent a tool against oppression as what politics is”.
Liam McNaughton, a BAHons student in history at SU, agreed with Cleophas that art, social, and sports history are essential. He said that without it, the curriculum has been reduced to “boring edicts of politicians”.
He also supports a more diverse curriculum and views it as a positive step for CAPS, allowing previously marginalised students to see themselves in the history they learn.
Lindsay Foss, a master’s student in history at SU, said there is merit in shifting toward a more African-centred curriculum, but noted that teacher preparation is often overlooked. She said equipping teachers should be prioritised over overhauling the curriculum.
Foss pointed out that better-prepared teachers can manage classroom discussions, challenge Eurocentric views, and ask critical questions to foster critical thinking skills in learners. “I think that this actually cultivates the kind of thinking that is needed [for] a university or tertiary education space,” she said.
A page from a 2012 edition of a Grade 7 CAPS social sciences textbook introducing the Trans-Atlantic slave trade at the faculty of education’s library at Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Jade Wainwright
The DBE has previously noted concerns that the curriculum had been politicised and that certain elements of South African and global history are potentially underrepresented.
In response to criticisms received so far, Khala said that the department welcomes all input and debate surrounding the matter, emphasising that the public participation process serves as a valuable source of information.
“Diverse views are very important within that conversation to make sure that any decisions […] [or] amendments made are ones that are made with holistic input,” he said.
The full draft and template for public comments can be accessed on the DBE’s official website.