Experiencing Diversity in a South African School

For many observers-both inside and outside the §country-South Africa's bloodless transition from the §minority white domination of the apartheid era to §democracy represented a political miracle of no mean §significance. An important difference between the §period before 1994 and the subsequent period is that §the old divisions into which society was §compartmentalised-Whites, Blacks, Indians and §Coloureds-have disappeared. In their place there is a§more integrated society,albeit with multiple §diversities. Theoretically therefore, the contours §and racially-based dividing lines which were §artificially created by apartheid have ceased to §exist. Practically however, such divisions still §persist both at societal and school levels;reason §being that the deep-seated distrust of §the other could not be wiped out overnight-nor §could integration take place without deliberate §state intervention. This monograph contributes to §the contemporary debate on desegregation, racial §integration and cultural diversification of the §learning environment,concluding that integration and §social cohesion of learners are possible if a proper §enabling environment is created. For many observers-both inside and outside the §country-South Africa''s bloodless transition from the §minority white domination of the apartheid era to §democracy represented a political miracle of no mean §significance. An important difference between the §period before 1994 and the subsequent period is that §the old divisions into which society was §compartmentalised-Whites, Blacks, Indians and §Coloureds-have disappeared. In their place there is a§more integrated society,albeit with multiple §diversities. Theoretically therefore, the contours §and racially-based dividing lines which were §artificially created by apartheid have ceased to §exist. Practically however, such divisions still §persist both at societal and school levels;reason §being that the deep-seated distrust of §the other could not be wiped out overnight-nor §could integration take place without deliberate §state intervention. This monograph contributes to §the contemporary debate on desegregation, racial §integration and cultural diversification of the §learning environment,concluding that integration and §social cohesion of learners are possible if a proper §enabling environment is created.