Development Studies in schools in Southern Africa

The teaching of Development Studies in secondary schools, as well as in higher education, was one of several innovations pioneered at Swaneng Hill School in Botswana in the 1960’s. Similar courses were soon started in... [ view full abstract ]

The teaching of Development Studies in secondary schools, as well as in higher education, was one of several innovations pioneered at Swaneng Hill School in Botswana in the 1960’s. Similar courses were soon started in secondary schools in Lesotho and Swaziland, and later in Namibia and other countries. Development Studies was adopted for the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate and subsequent IGCSE examinations. This has facilitated the growth and spread of the subject, albeit slowly up to now. The courses have nurtured understanding and skills that are more appropriate to the country context than the traditional teaching of geography, history and civics. Development Studies are specifically inter-disciplinary, combining and integrating social, historical, economic and political perspectives on development. The Sustainable Development agenda necessitates a re-design of Development Studies in schools, to incorporate financial and environmental sustainability into the curriculum, in Southern Africa and elsewhere.