Reflecting on a Decolonial educational praxis in South African public schools

Abstract

The continuing educational crises and the recurrent discourse on educational reform in South Africa foreground critical questions on  what constitutes a viable philosophical and pedagogical strategy for the country. This article examines the transformative praxis of a  dissident teachers’ organisation, the Teachers’ League of South Africa (TLSA or the League), and how the development of its distinctive  non-racist and non-collaborationist worldview provide meaningful possibilities for present-day educationists seeking a progressive  educational alternative. The article draws on decolonial and critical education theories to engage the views of TLSA teachers and non- League education activists. Documentary material on the TLSA and its umbrella body, the Unity Movement, provide key primary sources  for the article. In addition, secondary information linked to the broader liberation movement offers valuable insights and perspectives on  what could be defined as an alternative educational praxis. Overall, the article examines whether the coexistence of the TLSA’s holistic  educational outlook and ‘egalitarian oriented’ counter-consciousness, offers tangible possibilities for exploring an emancipatory  decolonial education.