Abstract:

The teaching of Technology at Senior Phase (Grades 7-9) in South Africa includes technological concepts in food processing and preservation. The bulk of the concepts on this topic are modern scientific and Eurocentric food processing and preservation techniques that introduce learners to the fundamentals of the food and nutrition environment. The Senior Phase Technology curriculum is designed to expose learners to the basics of technology and the technological process. When the learners exit Grade 9 they are expected to have grasped the requisite knowledge and skills to cope with the Further Education and Training (FET) Technology subjects of their choice. This conceptual paper explores the philosophy behind the teaching of Technology at Senior Phase. The source of the Technology content knowledge is critically ventilated and juxtaposed against the traditional and cultural host that nurtures that knowledge. The inclusion or exclusion of the indigenous knowledge systems (IKSs) in the curriculum menu for Senior Phase Technology is argued from an Afrocentric perspective with a view to blend current scientific knowledge with the traditional wisdom. Achieving a balance between the current scientific knowledge and the knowledge that has been passed on from generation to generation does not only ensure the currency and relevance of knowledge, but also ensures the preservation of culture and the creation of opportunities for innovation. The topic of Food Processing and Preservation is hitherto used to demonstrate the dearth of traditional folklore and wisdom in the current Technology curriculum by drawing from the personal experience of the researchers. The paper is grounded in critical emancipatory theory which argues for inclusivity of all forms of knowledge based on the history and aspirations of a people.

Keywords:

Indigenous knowledge, food processing, food preservation, Technology, scientific knowledge.