E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (EHASS) - ISSN 2720-7722

Recently, there has been an increased interest in social justice, social inclusion, equity and equality, particularly in the field of education.[1] These issues have also attracted the attention of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and have led to policies aimed to remove barriers and promote inclusive systems that provide access to education for people of all backgrounds across the globe.  While some scholars in Africa have also sought to create awareness for social justice and inclusive education,[2] there remains a lot to be done. Indeed, promoting social inclusion, equality and social justice within the educational system does not only create an enabling environment where younger generation has equal opportunity in an inclusive learning environment, but it also helps to transform communities. Despite these positive aspects, in Africa, access to quality education continues to be plagued by limited infrastructure, inadequate teacher training, and social prejudices that seem to hinder educational equity and justice in primary, secondary, and higher education institutions. Addressing these disparities requires a comprehensive approach considering social, economic, and political influences. Recognising the context-specific nature of educational inequality is crucial, as systems and social conditions vary across countries and regions. To achieve educational equity and justice, it is essential to create inclusive and equitable educational environments for all learners, overcoming barriers and promoting a more equitable education system.

The current special issue throws light on the current trends related to social inclusion, social justice and equality within the education sector in Africa. The six papers explore the challenges and progress made in these domains in Africa and make recommendations which are required to break through the systemic barriers and enhance inclusion.

C. Dladla, looks at the impact of three factors: language anxiety, writing examinations in English medium, and the learner outcomes, for non-English mother tongue learners in South Africa and proposes that translanguaging be extended to the examination halls where Afrikaans mother tongue speakers are allowed to write all their exams in the Afrikaans medium except for English as a subject.

G. Khumalo, N. Ngcobo & M. Sithole review the multifaceted roles School Social Workers play in addressing issues such as bullying and teenage pregnancy and creating supportive and inclusive educational environments in Africa. They propose that the number of School Social Workers be increased in schools’ bolster learner support systems

S. J. Yende explores South Africa’s music education landscape and the challenges which it poses to underprivileged and marginalised communities. This paper proposes strategies such as the revision of the curriculum, provision of support systems for underprivileged learners to ensure a more inclusive and an equitable music education system.

N. C. Mbeshu-Mhlauli investigates the use of multilingualism in the context of Creative Arts and expression in South African Schools and proposes the compulsory incorporation of semiotics in creative arts classroom as a way of supporting learners develop creativity and critical thinking skills in a more inclusive learning environment. Another critical factor encompassed in this paper is assessing the Intersectionality of Language Anxiety and Outcomes for African Learners Writing Examinations in English.

S. Sanjigadu examines how the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in South Africa planned and prepared for the implementation of a Critical Social Justice and Citizenship (CSJ) module to address issues related to gender-based violence, racism, gender inequality, classism, and other forms of discrimination. The author emphasises the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary approach in creating educational interventions geared towards social justice.

Finally, Y. Ntwalana & N.H. Matiso investigate the challenges schools currently face in preserving culture through oral storytelling, despite known positive impacts it has on learners, such as the development of listening skills, memory, and imagination. They therefore recommend among others, the integration of storytelling into the curriculum.

To conclude, the papers in this Special Issue demonstrate an urgent need to reconsider inclusion, equality and social justice issues in the education sector in Africa. We hope the various findings and recommendations will contribute to the ongoing discourse on the need for a more inclusive learning environment for all learners.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] G. Bădescu, “Introduction: Social Inclusion through Education,” in Education Policy and Equal Education Opportunities, Pop,D. (Open Society Foundations, 2012), 15–48; Pedro Jurado de los Santos et al., “The Term Equity in Education: A Literature Review with Scientific Mapping in Web of Science,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 10 (May 18, 2020): 3526, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103526;  Amy Mullin, “Children, Social Inclusion in Education, Autonomy and Hope,” Ethics and Social Welfare 17, no. 1 (January 2, 2023): 20–34, https://doi.org/10.1080/17496535.2022.2112409.

[2] Dennis Francis and Adré Le Roux, “Teaching for Social Justice Education: The Intersection between Identity, Critical Agency, and Social Justice Education,” South African Journal of Education 31, no. 3 (2011): 299–311; Alfred Masinire and Amasa Ndofirepi, “Rurality, Social Justice and Education in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Springer, 2020); Emma Priscilla Barnett and Kevin Teise, “Initial Teacher Education for Social Justice in South Africa: A Higher Education Policy Perspective,” Research in Educational Policy and Management 6, no. 1 (February 28, 2024): 72–89, https://doi.org/10.46303/repam.2024.5.