The Zimbabwean refugees sheltered at Holy Cross Church* in central Johannesburg have taken the
initiative to develop their own curriculum. There have been many orientations to curriculum
development with current reconceptualisations emphasising practical and descriptive curriculum
development approaches. This research is framed specifically by Walker’s naturalistic curriculum
development model, the community-based approach to education development, literature on
refugee education and generally by broader theories of curriculum. The study employed the
ethnographic research method and gathered data through non-participant observation, interviews
and document analysis. Taking a wider approach to curriculum development and in the context of
displaced people, the research redefined the term curriculum developer to mean ordinary people
and refugees in their communal social setting. This study provides an analysis and description of how
the refugees successfully initiated and developed effective learning and training programmes which
resulted in the establishment of a school, early childhood, adult-education and vocational training
centres. The refugee meetings and school council deliberation forums guided by common values and
political, social and economic factors made practically defensible, education and training
resolutions on language, school policies, curriculum options, pedagogy, knowledge and certification
issues. On the forms of refugee-emergency education, the refugee school curriculum followed that
of the country of origin, with some minor modifications thereby preparing learners for return to
their country. The training programmes utilised a slightly adjusted curriculum of the host country in
synergies with local private colleges and prepared the refugees to integrate into the host country’s
economic communities. To improve the quality of education and training at Holy Cross there is need
for intervention from government and international humanitarian organisations. In addition to the
academic curriculum, subjects with a social reconstructionist ideology, double-shift schooling and
democratic teaching and learning approaches must be introduced as well as awarding refugees with
regionally recognised training certificates.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/8871 |
| Date | 12 November 2010 |
| Creators | Pausigere, Peter |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf, application/pdf |
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