University of KwaZulu-Natal Education Studies 411 PDF

# University of KwaZulu-Natal: Education Studies 411 ## Elitism, Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism ### The Guides for Representative Councils of Learners - The South African Schools Act (1996) stipulates that the Representative Councils of Learners (RCLs) must be established in schools with learners...

# University of KwaZulu-Natal: Education Studies 411 ## Elitism, Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism ### The Guides for Representative Councils of Learners - The South African Schools Act (1996) stipulates that the Representative Councils of Learners (RCLs) must be established in schools with learners in Grade 8 and higher. - Defines RCLs as follows: - The most prestigious official structure of learners in the entire school... a structure made up of learners elected by their fellow learners to represent them... The only body that represents every learner and in which every learner can participate. ### CE in SA Schools - Elitism - Seems to suggest that RCLs are elite and prestigious bodies - Competitive elitism - Competition for leadership? - Emphasises competition amongst learners to become representatives - it is for a selected few, not for all. - Encourages competition for power and prestige among learners - who will become a head prefect? - Provides more opportunities for articulate learners and fewer or no opportunities for the less assertive learners - silencing some voices. ### CE in SA Schools: Patriotism or Cosmopolitanism? - Neither the prefectship model nor the RCLs have much to contribute to the development of citizenship education in RSA. - The Manifesto on Values, Education, and Democracy seeks to nurture new patriotism in post-apartheid South Africa. #### What is patriotism? Should schools teach patriotism? #### Why do nation-states promote patriotism? - Brighouse (2008) identifies four reasons: - Obligation - teaching people about the importance of their national identity - Solidarity - willingness of the people to make sacrifices, maintaining just/fair distribution of liberties, opportunities and resources in society. - Citizenship - ability of people to develop and exercise traits of good citizens. - Flourishing - people tend to flourish/succeed/thrive when they have a better connection with other people, especially people in their immediate vicinity/neighbourhood. ### What does the Bill of Responsibilities say about? - **Learner obligation** - reminds learners of their duties and responsibilities (obligation) to themselves and fellow learners - **Learner responsibility** - conveys to the youth that they have a responsibility to build solidarity (i.e. a common sense of belonging & and national pride) - **Citizenship** - expects learners to be good and loyal citizens of South Africa - **Flourishing** - in order for a democratic state to flourish, learners are urged to accept the call of the Bill of Responsibilities and commit themselves to take their rightful place as active, responsible citizens of South Africa. ### Cosmopolitanism - The ability to think globally and act locally (universal humanity) - The belief that all people are entitled to equal respect and consideration, no matter what their citizenship status or other affiliations. - Are patriotic and cosmopolitan ideals embraced in both the Bill of Responsibilities and the National School Pledge? (i.e. are learners encouraged to think globally and act locally? In what ways?) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyXmRxP05bM ### Point to Consider: What does cosmopolitanism mean in terms of the responsibilities of citizens? - Our responsibilities exceed our immediate (local) contexts. - We have a moral and social responsibility as global citizens. ### Levels of moral and social responsibility - **Cosmopolitan citizen - global responsibility** - **Patriotic citizen - national responsibility** - **Active citizen - individual responsibility** ### How will SA learners benefit from cosmopolitanism? - Are learners able to make connections between their immediate contexts and the global context? In what way? - Will they be able to practice citizenship within and between nations? - To what extent are learners required to learn, co-operate and interact with fellow learners in other parts of the world? - **Refer to pages 217-218 for details** - https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/tags/south-africa/ (various videos depicting global citizenship stories) ### South African Citizenship | Category | New Patriotism | Cosmopolitanism | |---|---|---| | Competitive Elitism | Guides for Representative Councils of Learners | SA Constitution/United Nations Declaration of Human Rights | | | Competition to become representatives rather than the involvement of all | Embrace universal moral ideals of citizenship | | | Undermines democratic tradition | | | | Manifesto on Values, Education and Democracy/Bill of Responsibilities | | | | Be good and loyal South African citizens | | | | Produce obedient and loyal rather than active, critical and enquiring citizens | | | | | Preparing South African learners to act on a local, national and global scale |