* Train Black children for manual labor, rather than higher education: This meant focusing on practical skills like agriculture and domestic work, denying them access to academic subjects and professional careers.
* Promote a sense of inferiority: The curriculum was deliberately simplistic and demeaning, often teaching distorted or inaccurate information about African history and culture.
* Reinforce racial segregation: The education system was completely separate from the white system, with limited funding and resources. This ensured that Black children remained subservient to white society.
Here are some key features of the Bantu Education curriculum:
* Emphasis on Afrikaans language: Afrikaans, a language associated with the Afrikaner minority, was imposed on Black students, even though it was not their native language.
* Limited access to science, mathematics, and other academic subjects: The curriculum focused heavily on basic literacy and numeracy skills, but excluded more advanced subjects.
* Biased and inaccurate history textbooks: These textbooks often presented a distorted view of African history, emphasizing European colonialism and downplaying the achievements of African societies.
* Lack of qualified teachers: Many teachers were poorly trained and lacked adequate resources to provide a quality education.
The Bantu Education Act of 1953 was a landmark piece of legislation that formalized this discriminatory system. It was widely condemned by Black South Africans and the international community. Although it was repealed in 1991 after the end of apartheid, the legacy of Bantu Education continues to have a lasting impact on the South African education system today.
It's crucial to remember that Bantu Education was not an educational system in the true sense of the word. It was a tool of oppression and discrimination, designed to maintain white supremacy and prevent Black South Africans from achieving their full potential.