ASSIGNMENT 2 2025
UNIQUE NO: DUE DATE: 20 JUNE 2025
JAMESC
,Page 1 of 22
, HED4805
Assignment 2 2025
Unique Number:
Due Date: 20 June 2025
South African History of Education
Question 1 (25 marks)
1.1 Explain how global schools spread in the Global South and Global North. (10)
The spread of global schools in both the Global South and Global North is rooted in
historical, economic, and political developments. In the Global North, the establishment
and spread of global schools were largely tied to internal developments such as
industrialization, the Enlightenment, and the growth of the nation-state. Education
systems were created to meet the needs of an industrializing society, emphasizing
literacy, numeracy, and citizenship education to support economic growth and social
cohesion. Schools became vehicles for promoting national identity and preparing
citizens for participation in economic and political life.
In contrast, the spread of global schools in the Global South was heavily influenced by
colonialism. During the colonial era, European imperial powers established schools in
their colonies primarily to serve colonial interests. These schools often promoted
Eurocentric curricula that marginalized or entirely ignored indigenous knowledge
systems, histories, and cultures. Education in the Global South was used as a tool of
domination, focusing on producing a small elite class to assist in colonial administration
rather than promoting broad-based education for the colonized populations.
After decolonization, many countries in the Global South inherited these education
systems, which continued to reflect Eurocentric models and values rather than
indigenous realities. Efforts to reform and decolonize education have been ongoing but
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