| Summary: | The purpose of this study was to plan the provision of education for the Griquas in South
Africa within the context of the educational rights of minority groups. Its main focus was on
how to make the education system in South Africa more responsive to the histories, heritages,
life experiences and cultural conditioning of the Griquas as a minority group in all its policymaking,
programme planning and instructional practices.
International trends have shown that the rights of minority groups have been described in different
treaties and conventions of international organisations such as the United Nations
(UN), the European Community (EC) and the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO). These rights focused on two main issues, namely the right to
own identity and the right not to be discriminated against.
In order to implement the above acknowledged rights (which include the educational rights)
of minority groups, several countries have implemented specific measures in their respective
education systems, thereby serving the particular religious and/or cultural needs of minority
groups in their countries. In nation-states across the world a situation has developed that,
while the world is experiencing globalisation of, for example, trade and communication, the
area of control and power is being questioned by groups on a regional level. It is primarily
minority groups, defined by their ethnic or cultural distinctiveness, in the relevant nation states,
that are seeking to obtain more direct control over their own affairs. Experience has
furthermore shown that national unity is not endangered by the recognition of the rights of
minority groups but is promoted if the rights of minorities are recognised in a country.
In the educational arena it has become clear that the focus of education should be to equip
each learner with the required knowledge, skills and attitudes to effectively fulfil his/her different
roles in life. With regard to the issue of the relationship between the minority group and
the educational institution, the trend has been to focus on specific educational institutions in
order to provide in the minority groups' educational needs. The characteristics and culture of
a particular educational institution should be acceptable to the minority group to ensure that
the particular minority group takes ownership of it.
In the light of the above information the educational needs of the Griquas, as a case study,
were determined by using the focus group discussion as a technique according to the qualitative
research method. The results ofthe focus groups were then compared with the findings of
the literature study. In order to make the necessary adjustments, the method of strategic educational
planning was used in order to provide in the educational needs of the Griquas. The
following trends emerged, amongst others: universal primary education, a diversified high
school curriculum with emphasis on science, technology and agriculture, local control of
education by the Griquas and special arrangements and/or alternatives for schooling. === Thesis (Ph.D.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2001
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