, Question 1:
Reflective Writing on Curriculum Development and Personal Educational Experience
1. Schooling Context
I attended school during the post-apartheid education transformation period in South Africa,
when the system was actively transitioning from apartheid-era curriculum structures to a
democratic education framework. During my later schooling years, the main curriculum I
experienced was the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), which
replaced earlier versions of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). CAPS was designed to
standardise teaching and learning across schools in South Africa, ensuring clear subject
content, structured progression, and measurable assessment standards (Department of
Basic Education, 2011).
This curriculum was characterised by a strong emphasis on structured lesson planning,
detailed annual teaching plans, and frequent formal assessments. Teachers were required
to follow a strict pacing guide, which meant that content had to be completed within specific
time frames. One significant change I remember in the education system was the shift from
learner-centred exploration under OBE to a more structured and exam-focused approach
under CAPS. While CAPS improved clarity in what learners were expected to know, it also
increased pressure on performance and placed greater importance on examinations as the
main measure of success.
2. Explicit Curriculum
In my schooling, the subjects that were most emphasised included Mathematics, English,
and Life Sciences, as these were considered essential for academic progression and
career opportunities. These subjects were prioritised because they were linked to university
admission requirements and national performance indicators. I was mainly taught through
teacher-centred instruction, where the educator played the central role in explaining content
while learners were expected to listen, take notes, and complete set exercises.
In many cases, learning was structured around repetition of examples, textbook exercises,
and memorisation of key concepts. Group work and discussions were used occasionally,
but they were not the dominant teaching strategy. Assessment usually took the form of
Reflective Writing on Curriculum Development and Personal Educational Experience
1. Schooling Context
I attended school during the post-apartheid education transformation period in South Africa,
when the system was actively transitioning from apartheid-era curriculum structures to a
democratic education framework. During my later schooling years, the main curriculum I
experienced was the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS), which
replaced earlier versions of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE). CAPS was designed to
standardise teaching and learning across schools in South Africa, ensuring clear subject
content, structured progression, and measurable assessment standards (Department of
Basic Education, 2011).
This curriculum was characterised by a strong emphasis on structured lesson planning,
detailed annual teaching plans, and frequent formal assessments. Teachers were required
to follow a strict pacing guide, which meant that content had to be completed within specific
time frames. One significant change I remember in the education system was the shift from
learner-centred exploration under OBE to a more structured and exam-focused approach
under CAPS. While CAPS improved clarity in what learners were expected to know, it also
increased pressure on performance and placed greater importance on examinations as the
main measure of success.
2. Explicit Curriculum
In my schooling, the subjects that were most emphasised included Mathematics, English,
and Life Sciences, as these were considered essential for academic progression and
career opportunities. These subjects were prioritised because they were linked to university
admission requirements and national performance indicators. I was mainly taught through
teacher-centred instruction, where the educator played the central role in explaining content
while learners were expected to listen, take notes, and complete set exercises.
In many cases, learning was structured around repetition of examples, textbook exercises,
and memorisation of key concepts. Group work and discussions were used occasionally,
but they were not the dominant teaching strategy. Assessment usually took the form of
