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New school textbooks show future of South Africa history

Apartheid is history. So too are Pik Botha, Zapiro cartoons and Laugh It Off T-shirts.

These are just some of the notable additions to school textbooks ahead of next year’s new matric history syllabus — the first time a detailed apartheid history will be taught to Grade 12 pupils throughout the country .

South African matrics studying history will, in addition to the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, discuss Eugene de Kock and Vlakplaas, violence and reconciliation, globalisation and third force death squads.

From next year, pupils will study not just Blood River and the Taal Monument, but also struggle T-shirts from the End Conscription Campaign, learn the words of the new national anthem and read extracts from the Freedom Charter and Nelson Mandela’s speech during the Rivonia treason trial.

The revised content is contained in a wide range of new history textbooks for next year, which aim to make history more inclusive, representing different points of view.
Read entire article at http://www.thetimes.co.za