South Africa: Changing the History Curriculum Is Not Enough If English Always Dominates the Classroom - South African Study

What the report says

A Conversation Africa analysis republished by AllAfrica argues that revising South Africa’s history curriculum is not enough if English remains the main language of teaching in classrooms. The piece, published on 20 August 2026 and written by Nhlanhla Mpofu and Simthembile Xeketwana, says the issue is especially visible in secondary schools, where lessons are still shaped by colonial-era language and perspectives despite official recognition of 12 languages.

The article draws on a study in two public Grade 8 history classrooms in the Northern Cape. The researchers focused on the Kimberley diamond rush, a topic tied to the growth of Kimberley after diamond discoveries around 1870 in what is now Northern Cape province. In the classrooms, teachers asked students why this history is usually taught only in English and worked with them to create a historical glossary in English and isiXhosa. The exercise encouraged learners to examine terms such as “compound system” and “dispossession” through local language and lived experience.

According to the analysis, the approach prompted stronger participation and more critical thinking. Learners brought in family memories and community knowledge, questioned textbook wording, and considered whose voices are missing from standard accounts of mining, land loss and labour control. The authors say this matters because language choices can shape what students understand as authoritative history and can either reinforce or challenge inherited narratives.

The piece adds broader context by suggesting that multilingual classrooms may help make history more inclusive and relevant, especially in a country still dealing with the educational legacies of apartheid and colonial rule.