Lewens-en wêreldbeskouing as grondslag van opvoedingsfilosofieë in Suid-Afrika 'n histories-opvoedkundige perspektief

Owing to a unique confluence of historical factors, South African society is a heterogeneous composition of a rich variety of cultural groups. In line with man's cultural mission, cultural diversity implies various unique ways in which reality is harnessed by various cultural groups. However, culture may never be reduced to the customs and conduct of a particular cultural group. The complexity of human cultural activities includes inter alia values, norms and an unique life and world view. Cultural differences are inter alia related to the maintenance of various life and world views that are ultimately directed by a religious bond with either God as the True Source, or an alleged source. The fundamental features of the phenomena' culture, life and world view and philosophy of education have been analysed through phenomenon analysis. The religious ground motive underpinning the interwovenness of these three phenomena is significant. Indeed, this fundamental ground motive ultimately determines the goal of educational practice which may be directed towards or away from God. A religious ground motive furthermore reveals a communality according to which an entire community is guided by the same convictions regarding the origin and ultimate goal of all things, including pedagogic matters. Although only one divinely created education reality exists, South African education reality exhibits a variety of educational practices based on various philosophies of education. A need for a common philosophy of education became essential due to this diversity. A clear image of the purpose and the ultimate goal of an educationalist's particular life and world view emerges from these various philosophies of education. From within a particular educational practice, the nature of the cosmonomic idea, the life and world view and, finally, the religious ground motive that underpins it, may be examined. In South Africa two dominant cultural directions regarding life and reality can be identified, viz. an Afro-centric and an Euro-centric vision. The historico-educational analysis of these dominant South African life and world views reveals the dual nature of both. Guided by the dualistic humanistic-religious ground motive the Euro-centric life and world view and philosophy of education, e.g. within idealism, existentialism, neo-Marxism and pragmatism, a unitary vision of education reality is absent. It also appears that the Afro-centric life and world view and philosophy of education is apostatically directed at reality, as the traditional African child's education is from, by and towards nature. The process of acculturation contributed to an admix of humanistic, Scholastic and natuie-worshipping ground motives of the acculturated Afro-centric life and world view and philosophy of education. The variety of religious ground motives that underpin South African education implies an equally rich variety of views on origin and ultimate goal which indeed leaves South African education floundering. Against the background of prior historico-education analysis, it was found that the Biblical ground motive of creation, the fall of man and redemption is not in fact internally torn asunder by an insurmountable religious dialectic. The Christo-centric life and world view and philosophy of education apparently harbours no dualism. The anastatically directed Biblical ground motive must however be distinguished from the Christian life and world view and philosophy of education, as driven by the dualistic Scholastic religious ground motive of natural grace. Owing to the unitary vision of the Christo-centric life and world view of reality, people are bound across cultural boundaries by the religious point of departure that all things are. from, by and towards God. The implication of the unifying power extended by this religious ground motive is that a common philosophy of education not only offers a unitary vision of the education reality, but also a single view of origin and ultimate goal, despite cultural differences that distinguish cultural groups. The election of a common philosophy of education that prevents a dualistic fragmentation of South African education therefore indicates a return to the original. Biblical vision of life where the concept of the Kingdom of God is pivotal.