Staatsburgerlike geletterdheid as voorwaarde vir geestesweerbaarwording

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine by means of a literature study and subsequent empirical investigation, the task of the school with regard to the teaching of political literacy and to decide what the effect is of the Youth Preparedness programme on the shaping of political literacy in the Afrikaans speaking secondary pupil. Firstly a number of definitions were discussed. Then the role of the school regarding political literacy as well as the relationship between school and state, was considered. The interdisciplinary nature of the relationship between the school and the state was discussed. The complicated nature of the state with the associated demands concerning the task the school is set with regards to shaping the•political literacy of the pupils, was closely inspected. A literature study of limited extent was performed. This involved a comparative study of the shaping of political literacy in. the pre-primary, senior primary and secondary school phases in the RSA, USSR and England. This was done in order to determine the current situation concerning the conveyance of political literacy in each. The questionnaire as a means of empirical investigation was discussed and implemented. Questions that arose from the literature study were used as a basis for the questionnaire. Questionnaires were handed out to 69 staff members and 300 Afrikaans speaking Std 10 pupils at schools in the Vaal Triangle. The data thus obtained was analysed by means of the SAS computer programme. The information obtained from the literature study indicated the complicated nature of conveying political literacy at school. The complexity is apparent from the involved nature of the relationship between school and state. These two institutions are interdependent. The school must educate pupils to become competent citizens who have to make a functional contribution in the socioeconomic as well as political field to the general welfare of the country. While the state is responsible for providing and maintaining all facilities in order to satisfy the needs of its citizens. From the empirical study it becomes clear that in the opinion of both the staff and pupil respondents, the Youth Preparedness programme does in fact satisfy the greatest need in order to educate pupils to become citizens that are well informed concerning matters of state.