An examination of the influence of christian national education on the principles underlying white and black education in South Africa 1948 - 1982

• Main Author: Hofmeyr, Jane Mary
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Education > South Africa > History; Blacks > Education > South Africa; Christian National Education; Christian education > South Africa > History; Education > Aims and objectives > South Africa
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10539/18190

A Research Project Submitted to the Faculty of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education. Johannesburg, 1982 === This research project examines the influence of the philosophy of Christian National Education (C.N.E.) on the principles underlying South African education,and attempts to determine the general trend of that influence from 1948 to 1982. To this end the project investigates the nature of C.N.E. by tracing the development of the C.N.E. movement from its origins to the publication of its official policy statement in 1948. This historical overview highlights the fundamental shift in the movement from a religious to a more secular and national outlook, as C.N.E. became associated more closely with Afrikaner Nationalism and the National Party Government. An examination of its effect on South African education reveals that C.N.E. was a powerful influence on the system of Bantu Education and permeated many aspects of White education. In recent years, however, C.N.E.'s influence has been less noticeable and some of its tenets compromised. No C.N.E. bias was detected in the principles of the de Lange Commission (198i). From these findings it seems that C.N.E. has lost its impetus and appeal for many Afrikaners. Nevertheless, the rightwing Afrikaner reaction, against the de Lange Report and in favour of C.N.E., suggests that this educational philosophy still is subscribed to by a powerful section of Afrikanerdom.