Rainbow nation is a dangerous metaphor

Former Agang South Africa leader, Mamphela Ramphele advised educators to stop teaching learners about what happened in the 1950s and rather focus on ancient African history for children to know their roots.
She further said focusing on what happened during apartheid won’t help people heal hence there will never be peace and the country will remain divided. Ramphele addressed a mini-conference held by the Southern African Heads of Independent Schools Association (Sahisa) at Protea Hotel Ranch Resort last Tuesday.
She said history was a cultural weapon and further indicated that those who know African history will know that women are born leaders. She added that children are born with the capacity to learn but that the school system sometimes limits them. She challenged attendees to come up with strategies and or methods to simplify teaching and make it more effective.
She then turned to Life Orientation saying: “The subject should be used for children to appreciate diversity. We need to transform Life Orientation into a subject to fit in the curriculum. The subject can be used to instill good values in our children.”
According to Mamphela, the ‘rainbow nation’ is a dangerous metaphor because when the sun shines the rainbow disappears. She said God created only one race, being the human race, hence people should learn to put their differences aside and engage in exciting tasks such as working as a unit to build better schools.
She stressed that people should follow the wisdom of the constitution in order to build better schools and reformed societies.

Story & photo: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za