The reason for the riots started in 1953, when the Apartheid Government of South Africa enacted The Bantu Education Act. This act established a Black Education Department in the Department of Native Affairs.
The goal of this department was to compile a curriculum that suited the 'nature and requirements of the black people.' The author of the legislation, Dr Hendrik Verwoerd (then Minister of Native Affairs, later Prime Minister), stated: 'Natives [blacks] must be taught from an early age that equality with Europeans [whites] is not for them.' Black people were not supposed to receive an education that would lead them to aspire to positions they wouldn't be allowed to hold in society. Instead they were only allowed to receive education designed to provide them with skills to serve their own people in the homelands or to work in laboring jobs under whites.
Black students in Soweto protested against the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974. This degree forced all black schools to teach in Afrikaans and English in a 50-50 mix as languages of instruction. The Regional Director of Bantu Education (Northern Transvaal Region), J.G. Erasmus, told Circuit Inspectors and Principals of Schools that from January 1, 1975 Afrikaans had to be used for mathematics, arithmetic, and social studies from standard five (7th grade). English would be the medium of instruction for general science and practical subjects (homecraft, needlework, woodwork, metalwork, art, agricultural science). Indigenous languages would be used for religion instruction, music, and physical culture.
A poll taken in 1972 found that 98% of young Sowetans did not want to be taught in Afrikaans. The association of Afrikaans with the apartheid regime prompted black South Africans to prefer English. Even the homelands chose English and an indigenous African language as official languages. In addition, English was gaining prominence as the language most often used in commerce and industry. The 1974 decree was intended to forcibly reverse the decline of Afrikaans among black Africans.
Thanks to what the Soweto Youth did in 1976, Youth Day is now a South African national holiday. It honors all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle against Apartheid and Bantu Education. The iconic picture of Hector Pieterson, a black school child shot by the police, brought home to many people within and outside South Africa the brutalities of the Apartheid regime.
Thanks to the youth of South Africa, they didn't stand for this treatment and on June 16th thousands of black students walked from their schools to Orlando Stadium for a rally to protest against the the Apartheid regime.
Today is a day to commemorate those students and to celebrate the sacrifices others have made for equality, education, and freedom.
Wayne Kiltz is the founder and owner of Africa Imports. You can find over 100 other articles on African art, culture, and fashion, along with African proverbs, recipes, and African business opportunities at Africa Imports
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