The role of philosophy in the establishment of a framework of values for educational practice in a pluralist South African society

Abstract
One of the great issues of the present time in the Republic of South Africa is the problem of all members of the school-going population securing equal educational opportunities. All pupils basically have the freedom to learn. However, pupils cannot reach their full development when denied equal educational opportunities. Educationt positively acknowledges both the communal factors and the diversity of religious and cultural life-styles and languages of the inhabitants. These diversities in the different cultural groups in South Africa are presently receiving structural prominence. The problem, however, justly raised is whether sufficient prominence is being given to commonalities. Very little binding exists between f the heterogenous cultural groups in the R.S.A. Serious polarisation exists and this is apparent in many fields including education. In education in particular this alienation, distrust and anomalous behaviour is examplified by disruption of school programmes in many ways. The question of how education may fulfil a more constructive binding function in such a heterogenous divided society was therefore a problem necessitating problem solving research. The aim of the study was therefore to discover educationally acceptable values of promoting undestanding for, and empathy towards one another among R.S.A. cultural groups. To seek communal factors in the establishment of identity and individual cultural identity and, finally, to seek the achievement and maintainance of common high standards of educational provision in respect of schools, and other educational institutions, and support services.
Description
Submitted in fulfilment or partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in the Department of Philosophy of Education at the University of Zululand, 1987.
Keywords
Values for educational practice
Citation