Ubuntu-Botho, Education, Nationalism and Democracy

Abstract

This mini-thesis is concerned with the examination of whether Ubuntu-Botho (as taught in KwaZulu Homeland schools) can promote the development of democratic agents. I begin in Chapter 1 by providing a brief sketch of the socio-political historical background of the events in South Africa and particularly in the KwaZulu-Natal region. Here I argue that although the Black Consciousness Movement and lnkatha were vehemently opposed in their strategies to fight against apartheid, they neverthelsss agreed that Blacks needed to be psychologically liberated from apartheid. I also show how the homelands policy of the central government gave the KwaZulu homeland government the constitutional powers to introduce the subject called Ubuntu-Botho in the KwaZulu homeland. ln Chapter 2 I argue that the concepts "ubuntu" and "botho" (humanism) in Nguni and Sotho languages respectively form the basis for the pattern of thought of African people, particularly in Southern Africa. Also in this chapter I acquaint the reader with the content of Ubuntu-Botho syllabus as taught in KwaZulu schools. Chapter 3 is concerned with the conceptual tensions between education, democracy and nationalism. My main argument in this chapter is that education, in the process of socialization should take the cultural heritage of the child into consideration. I therefore argue that Ubuntu-botho was an attempt to establish the conditions for a positive self-image and for self-realization for the Black child; which to me, as shown in the latter parts of this mini-thesis, are p:erequisites for the development of the democratic agents.