Abstract:

The South African pre-1994 political dispensation left an education system with a legacy of self-doubt and polarization amongst rural learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. Young people in rural schools lack the capacity to realize self-actualization and to interact democratically with others. Using a qualitative research design, the researchers conducted a phenomenological study to explore the experiences of teachers and learners at two rural schools in Amathole District Municipality. The findings of the study are that most rural schools from disadvantaged backgrounds narrowly and solely follow the prescribed curriculum to the exclusion of developmental co-curricular programs that foster social cohesion. The researchers recommend that schools should independently develop socially empowering co-curricular programs that promote social justice. The study concludes that neglecting empowering learners on social justice will have detrimental effects on social cohesion and the state's developmental agenda.

Keywords:

Social justice, polarization, curriculum, empowering, social cohesion.