HOPEACADEMY
HED4805
ASSIGNMENT 02
Due date: 26 June 2026
2026
Question 1 (25)
Section A of this question is based on the given extract from
chapter 2 of the prescribed textbook (Seroto, Davids &
Wolhuter 2020). Read the extract, and then answer the
questions that follow.
0 7 6 4 0 3 1 2 2 9
,HED 4805 ASSIGNMENT 2
Due date: 26 June 2026
Question 1
1.1 Explain what is meant by the expression “Global North and Global
South”?
The expression Global North and Global South is used to describe differences in power,
wealth, and knowledge production between regions of the world. Seroto, Davids and
Wolhuter (2020) explain that the Global North refers mainly to developed countries such
as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European nations. These
countries dominate in terms of economic strength, political influence, and academic
research.
The Global South, on the other hand, refers to developing regions such as Africa, Latin
America, and parts of Asia. Wolhuter (2008) shows that most scholarly publications in
education are produced by researchers in the Global North, and even when the Global
South is studied, it is often analysed through Northern perspectives. This creates an
imbalance in knowledge production.
Santos (2014) adds that the Global South is not only a geographical idea but also a
social and historical one. It represents the pain caused by colonialism, racism, and
inequality. The authors argue that the South must reclaim its own knowledge systems
and stop mimicking the North. In simple terms, the Global North is the powerful centre,
while the Global South is the marginalised periphery, and this imbalance affects
education, research, and citizenship.
References
Santos, B. (2014). Epistemologies of the South: Justice against epistemicide. Boulder:
Paradigm Publishers.
Seroto, J., Davids, N., & Wolhuter, C. (2020). History of Education. Pretoria: University of
South Africa.
, Wolhuter, C. (2008). Review of comparative education research. Comparative Education
Review, 52(3), 330–331.
1.2 Briefly discuss #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall as critical moments in the
decolonisation of the history of South African education.
#RhodesMustFall
The #RhodesMustFall movement began in 2015 at the University of Cape Town (UCT)
when students demanded the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes, a symbol of
colonial oppression. According to Freeman and Kirke (2017), the statue represented the
dominance of Eurocentric knowledge and the marginalisation of African perspectives.
The campaign quickly grew into a broader call for curriculum decolonisation, urging
universities to include African histories, languages, and indigenous knowledge systems.
It also highlighted issues of systemic racism, lack of diversity among faculty, and
exclusionary institutional cultures. By challenging colonial symbols and demanding
transformation, the movement placed decolonisation at the centre of South African
education debates.
#FeesMustFall
Later in 2015, the #FeesMustFall protests erupted across South African universities in
response to proposed tuition fee increases. Walton (2018) explains that rising costs
excluded many poor and working-class students, especially black South Africans, from
accessing higher education. The movement demanded free, quality, and decolonised
education, linking economic justice to epistemic justice. It exposed structural inequalities
in the system, such as overcrowded classrooms, limited resources, and financial
exclusion. By insisting that education should be a public good rather than a privilege,
the campaign connected social justice with the broader project of decolonisation.
Significance for Decolonisation
Together, these movements were critical moments in the decolonisation of South
African education. They challenged both symbolic and material barriers: RhodesMustFall
confronted colonial heritage and Eurocentric curricula, while FeesMustFall addressed
economic exclusion and inequality. As Seroto, Davids and Wolhuter (2020) argue,
decolonisation requires both recognition of African knowledge and fair access to
HED4805
ASSIGNMENT 02
Due date: 26 June 2026
2026
Question 1 (25)
Section A of this question is based on the given extract from
chapter 2 of the prescribed textbook (Seroto, Davids &
Wolhuter 2020). Read the extract, and then answer the
questions that follow.
0 7 6 4 0 3 1 2 2 9
,HED 4805 ASSIGNMENT 2
Due date: 26 June 2026
Question 1
1.1 Explain what is meant by the expression “Global North and Global
South”?
The expression Global North and Global South is used to describe differences in power,
wealth, and knowledge production between regions of the world. Seroto, Davids and
Wolhuter (2020) explain that the Global North refers mainly to developed countries such
as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European nations. These
countries dominate in terms of economic strength, political influence, and academic
research.
The Global South, on the other hand, refers to developing regions such as Africa, Latin
America, and parts of Asia. Wolhuter (2008) shows that most scholarly publications in
education are produced by researchers in the Global North, and even when the Global
South is studied, it is often analysed through Northern perspectives. This creates an
imbalance in knowledge production.
Santos (2014) adds that the Global South is not only a geographical idea but also a
social and historical one. It represents the pain caused by colonialism, racism, and
inequality. The authors argue that the South must reclaim its own knowledge systems
and stop mimicking the North. In simple terms, the Global North is the powerful centre,
while the Global South is the marginalised periphery, and this imbalance affects
education, research, and citizenship.
References
Santos, B. (2014). Epistemologies of the South: Justice against epistemicide. Boulder:
Paradigm Publishers.
Seroto, J., Davids, N., & Wolhuter, C. (2020). History of Education. Pretoria: University of
South Africa.
, Wolhuter, C. (2008). Review of comparative education research. Comparative Education
Review, 52(3), 330–331.
1.2 Briefly discuss #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall as critical moments in the
decolonisation of the history of South African education.
#RhodesMustFall
The #RhodesMustFall movement began in 2015 at the University of Cape Town (UCT)
when students demanded the removal of the statue of Cecil John Rhodes, a symbol of
colonial oppression. According to Freeman and Kirke (2017), the statue represented the
dominance of Eurocentric knowledge and the marginalisation of African perspectives.
The campaign quickly grew into a broader call for curriculum decolonisation, urging
universities to include African histories, languages, and indigenous knowledge systems.
It also highlighted issues of systemic racism, lack of diversity among faculty, and
exclusionary institutional cultures. By challenging colonial symbols and demanding
transformation, the movement placed decolonisation at the centre of South African
education debates.
#FeesMustFall
Later in 2015, the #FeesMustFall protests erupted across South African universities in
response to proposed tuition fee increases. Walton (2018) explains that rising costs
excluded many poor and working-class students, especially black South Africans, from
accessing higher education. The movement demanded free, quality, and decolonised
education, linking economic justice to epistemic justice. It exposed structural inequalities
in the system, such as overcrowded classrooms, limited resources, and financial
exclusion. By insisting that education should be a public good rather than a privilege,
the campaign connected social justice with the broader project of decolonisation.
Significance for Decolonisation
Together, these movements were critical moments in the decolonisation of South
African education. They challenged both symbolic and material barriers: RhodesMustFall
confronted colonial heritage and Eurocentric curricula, while FeesMustFall addressed
economic exclusion and inequality. As Seroto, Davids and Wolhuter (2020) argue,
decolonisation requires both recognition of African knowledge and fair access to
