Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube Curriculum Review Plans Spark Debate Among Netizens

• Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube plans to establish a consultative forum to review the school curriculum's relevance and effectiveness
• While the initiative has garnered support for updating the curriculum to include modern technologies like AI
• The proposal has sparked widespread debate on social media, reflecting both support and doubt

Reitumetse Makwea, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Pretoria, South Africa, has covered local elections, policy changes, the State of the Nation Address and political news at The Citizen and Rekord Noweto for over five years.

Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube has announced plans to establish a consultative forum consisting of representatives from the education sector, trade unions, school governing bodies, and other stakeholders.

This forum is tasked with undertaking a fundamental review of the school curriculum.

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According to Gwarube, this review addressed its relevance and effectiveness in the current educational landscape.

However, netizens were surprisingly divided. Many supported the plan, while some were not confident about the plans to review.

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Curriculum review and examination of the education system

During an interview with Business Day, Gwarube emphasised the necessity of this initiative, highlighting that it is supported by existing legislation.

She noted that legislation provides for establishing such a consultative body, which must be initiated soon.

The forum will examine the education system, set terms of reference, define time frames, and produce a report with recommendations.

Netizens were torn by the plan

The announcement has sparked widespread discussion on social media, with many users expressing strong opinions about the proposed curriculum review.

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@muhammad_amiras commented:

"It's heavily outdated and lacking behind ✍️Even the University curriculum is embarrassing, to say the least. That's why we have a lot of graduates with employment issues.

"Teach kids about AI; if we really want them to compete globally, we must equip them fully and integrate them well enough to adapt quicker and more efficiently in the global race for innovation✍️"

@Ina43266408 echoed the sentiment but stressed practical issues:

"Please fix the many practical problems first perhaps?"

@zeeshongwe added:

"I believe the time is right. It’s been over ten years since the move from Outcomes Based Education (OBE) and a review of CAPS seems timely for many reasons, including the advent of AI."

Not everyone is convinced of the plan's feasibility, particularly given potential resistance from powerful unions like the South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU).

@mandlabafo remarked:

"She is taking chances with SADTU."

@Mo_Magoda was even more pessimistic, predicting failure:

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"She won’t succeed. She must just forget because SATU won’t take that nonsense. "

BOSA’s Mmusi Maimane petitions for Education Minister Angie Motshekga To Resign

Briefly News reported that Build One SA president, Mmusi Maimane, has called for Angie Motshekga, the Minister of Basic Education, to step down from her post.

Maimane accused her of not rescuing the education system and instead of plunging it into further despair.

South Africans agreed and remarked that the country's education is worse than it was in the past.

Source: Briefly News