Thesis (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis analyses some of the major education policies in Namibia since
the introduction of a democratic government in 1990. The analysis reveals
that democratic participation through stakeholder representatives is an ideal
framework to promote democracy in education discourses, that is, in policy
formation, school governance and teaching and learning. However, there is a
dilemma of a lack of inclusion, which is incommensurable with modern
democratic theorists’ conceptions of democratic citizenship (both Western
deliberation and African ubuntu). The thesis asserts that Namibia’s historical
and cultural background has to be taken into consideration if a defensible
democratic citizenship education is to be engendered and advanced.
An examination and interpretation of the three phases of Namibia’s historical
background, its pre-colonial, colonial/apartheid and post-apartheid education
systems, were carried out in order to understand the current state of
education and the type of citizens the country is developing through its
education system. Central to this investigation were different conceptions of
democratic citizenship, which indicate that deliberation, inclusion, equality,
reasonableness, publicity, belligerence, hospitality, compassion and African
humanness (ubuntu) are the features of a defensible democratic citizenship
education. The exploration of the distinction between deliberation and ubuntu
shows that Namibia’s context requires a minimal democratic citizenship
framework with ubuntu if a lack of inclusion is to be eliminated.
The discussion on democratic conceptions also draws on a minimalist and
maximalist continuum of democratic citizenship education. The thesis argues
that a minimalist form of democratic citizenship education, in conjunction with
African ubuntu – which constitutes less deliberation and non-belligerence with
more compassion, careful listening, respect and dignity – engenders conditions for an inclusive policy framework, school governance, and the
cultivation of democratic citizenry through teaching and learning in Namibian
public schools, and may eventually promote a defensible democratic
citizenship education. This framework may create a favourable environment
and potential for all participants to co-exist, and for the marginalised groups to
also contribute to conversations. This framework is also considered plausible
because it takes into account the local people’s historical background and
cultural practices.
Complementing the argument of this thesis is the exploration of the link
between Namibia’s education system, the New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Moreover, an appeal is made for the Namibian citizenship education system
to consolidate the idea of cosmopolitanism, that is; hospitality and
forgiveness, if the NEPAD initiative is to be successful and if certain
Millennium Development Goals were to be achieved by 2015. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ontleed sommige van die hoof onderwysbeleide in Namibia
sedert die instelling van ‘n demokratiese regering in 1990. Die ontleding
onthul dat demokratiese deelname deur rolspelerverteenwoordigers is ‘n
ideale raamwerk om demokrasie in onderwysdiskoerse te bevorder, dit is, in
beleidmaking, skoolbeheer asook onderrig en leer. Nietemin, daar is ʼn
dilemma van ‘n gebrek aan inklusiwiteit, wat nie vergelykbaar is met moderne
demokratiese teoretici se konsepsies van demokratiese burgerskap (beide
Westerse beraadslaging en Afrika ubuntu) nie. Die tesis voer aan dat
Namibië se historiese en kulturele agtergrond verreken moes wees, indien ʼn
verdedigbare demokratiese burgerskap voortgebring en ondersteun sou word.
ʼn Ondersoek en interpretasie van die drie fases van Namibië se historiese
agtergrond, haar pre-koloniale, koloniale/apartheid en post-apartheid
onderwysstelsels, was uitgevoer om te verstaan wat die huidige stand van
onderwys en die soort burgers is wat die land daardeur voorberei. Sentraal
tot hierdie ondersoek was verskillende konsepsies van demokratiese
burgerskap, wat aandui dat beraadslaging, inklusiwiteit, gelykheid,
redelikheid, openbaarheid, strydlustige interaksie, gasvryheid, meelewing en
Afrika-menslikheid (ubuntu) die eienskappe van ‘n verdedigbare demokratiese
burgerskaponderwys is. Die ondersoek van die onderskeid tussen
beraadslaging en ubuntu toon dat die Namibiese konteks, indien ‘n gebrek
aan inklusiwiteit geëlimineer moet word, ‘n minimale demokratiese
burgerskapsraamwerk met ubuntu benodig.
Die bespreking van demokratiese konsepsies is ook gebed in ʼn minimalistiese
en maksimalistiese kontinuum van demokratiese burgerskaponderwys. Die
tesis argumenteer dat ‘n minimalistiese vorm van demokratiese
burgerskaponderwys in samehang met Afrika ubuntu – wat minder
beraadslaging en nie-strydlustige interaksie met meer meelewing, versigtige luister, respek en waardigheid veronderstel – toestande vir ‘n inklusiewe
beleidsraamwerk, skoolbeheer en die kweek van demokratiese burgerskap
deur onderrig en leer in Namibiese publieke skole bevorder en mag so
uiteindelik ‘n verdedigbare demokratiese burgerskaponderwys bevorder.
Hierdie raamwerk mag ‘n gunstige omgewing en die potensiaal vir alle
deelnemers om met mekaar saam te leef asook vir gemarginaliseerse groepe
om tot gesprekke by te dra, skep. Hierdie raamwerk kan ook as aanneemlik
beskou word, omdat dit die plaaslike mense se historiese agtergrond en
kulturele praktyke verreken.
Die argument van hierdie tesis word ondersteun deur die ondersoek van die
verband tussen die Namibiese onderwysstelsel, die ‘New Partnership for
Africa’s Development’ (NEPAD) en die Millennium Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte.
Meer nog, ‘n beroep word gemaak vir die Namibiese burgerskap
onderwysstelsel om die idee van wêreldburgerskap, dit is, gasvryheid en
vergifnis te konsolideer, indien die NEPAD-inisiatief suksesvol en sekere
Millenium Ontwikkelingsdoelstellings teen 2015 bereik wil word.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6725 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Shanyanana, Rachel Ndinelao |
| Contributors | Waghid, Yusef, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Education Policy Studies |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xxvii, 227 p. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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