Education Dept defends retraction of matric Life Orientation project on access to water

A Moneyweb article has sparked debate, with its assertion that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) pulled a matric Life Orientation project for political reasons in the run-up up to the elections.

It's headlined 'ANC’s election panic prompts retraction of a matric Life Orientation assignment'.

Pupils had been assigned with completing a comprehensive project titled 'Poor access to clean water', writes parent and Moneyweb editor Ryk van Niekerk.

The assignment was then retracted and replaced with another one.

The decision was taken after careful consideration and discussion with relevant stakeholders, said an internal memo.

"This decision stems from concerns raised regarding the potential influence on learners’ voting behaviour, as certain elements could be interpreted as advocating for specific political views or influencing learners’ voting decisions."

Gauteng Department of Education memo

The memo is startling, writes van Wyk, as it even acknowledges that the project could impact 'learners’ voting behaviour', which he says contrasts with the subject’s objective of 'developing and engaging learners… to achieve their full potential in the new democracy of South Africa'.

In conversation with John Perlman, GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said if parents or a sector of their stakeholders raises a concern, they can't ignore it.

"The subject matter or the problem statement was directing them to the issue of Hammanskraal... Now, you can't confine it to Hammanskraal when you are saying school is a developmental centre - it can't focus on one area."

"And more so, this headline, he is talking about the ANC panicking. Actually, the ANC should be happy, because Tshwane is under DA government."

Steve Mabona, Spokesperson - Gauteng Department of Education

But this particular assignment could have served as a an excellent exercise in engaging with the different levels of government and the complexity of service delivery, posits Perlman.

The questions of voting rights and democracy should not be conflated, Mabona insists.

"We've got a respect for civic education...If it's in a project looking at democracy and more so at human rights violation, that of access to water, you can't be talking voting."

If you have a project about voting, then fine we can focus on that.."

Steve Mabona, Spokesperson - Gauteng Department of Education