A critical analysis of the ideological foundations of South African education in the transitional process from a deterministic to a democratic education system

English: In order to critically analyse the ideological foundations of South African education, a link was established between the nature of the transition from a closed to an open society and the emergence of an ideology. It was concluded that only when the differentiation of culture into different life spheres (inter alia, science, the arts, the school and the state) takes place in accordance with the distinct structure by which each sphere is constituted, such life spheres will coexist alongside each other. However, when one life sphere is accredited the status of the supreme source of authority, then other life spheres are regarded as subservient to the elevated sphere. In this regard it appears that the elevation of a life sphere to a supra-modal status constitutes the emergence of an ideology. While the latter represents a hierarchical view of society, a structurally pluralist view of society where all life spheres coexist alongside each other, appears to be anti-ideological. The impact of an ideology on school-typical education apparently results in the school not being granted the lawful right to function in accordance with its own sphere of competence and school-typical authority. Rather it is placed in a subservient position to the supposedly supreme authority, being misused for other than school-typical (ideological) purposes. Against this background an attempt was made to engage in a critical exposition of the way in which the school, as a relative autonomous social institution, functioned in different periods in the history of South African education. In the attempt to not only expose ideological thought-patterns, but also to penetrate to the presuppositions that underpin such thought-patterns, an argument was put forward in favour of the adoption of the critico-rationalist attitude, as well as the application of transcendental critique. Six critical questions proposed by the critical rationalist, Karl Popper, appeared to be helpful in exposing the ideological thought-patterns in a society. Although it was found that the exposure of such thought-patterns assists man in becoming more resistant against ideological indoctrination and manipulation, it was by virtue of transcendental critique that it was possible to the penetrate to the roots of such thought-patterns. Thus, by adopting the critico-rationalist attitude and by virtue of applying transcendental critique, it was possible to critically analyse the ideologicalfoundations of South African education. A critical exposition of the nature of South African education under the ban of the apartheid regime (1948 - 1994) revealed that school-typical education was primarily (mis)used to promote the ideology of apartheid. Simultaneously it was possible to determine that ideological thought-patterns during this dispensation were regulated not only by the absolutisation of a particular nation to the status of a supreme authority, but also by a fusion between the Christian principle (central commandment of love) and the absolutised nation. As such, it was concluded that when the school was mobilised as an ideological state apparatus, its structural uniqueness, as well as its terrain of competence was disregarded and violated. A critical review of the struggle against the oppressive apartheid regime also involved the exposition of the way in which school-typical education was mobilised as an ideological apparatus. It was concluded that this period was interspersed with ideological thought-patterns regulated by an elevated will of the people. Simultaneously, however, it was also possible to determine that the last appeal for the justification of norms and ideals were not to be found in the will of the people, but within the supposedly free autonomous human personality and human reason. The ideology of revolutionary populism therefore had a profound impact on school-typical education: since the will of the people was regarded as the supreme authority, and while it was the will of the people to liberate themselves from the oppressive apartheid regime, school-typical education was utilised as a tool of liberation. School-typical education was therefore, once again, reduced to an ideological apparatus and the school was not granted the right to function in accordance with school-typical aims. After the 1994-elections South African education was plunged into a process of radical transformation. While education in South Africa had for many years been misused for ideological purposes, transformation is aimed at establishing a non-racist and equitable system. When viewed against the background of conclusions drawn from the previous chapters, it is evident that transformation can only succeed once it allows school-typical education to function according to its own sphere of competence and authority. However, a critical analysis of educational transformation revealed the presence of ideological thought-patterns. Similar to the ideology of revolutionary populi srn, it appeared that ideological thought-patterns were being directed by an overemphasis on the will of the people. It can thus be anticipated that if the will of the people continues to be regarded as the supreme authority, school-typical education will once again be driven and directed, not by its own distinct structure, but by the will of a social collective entity called the people.