Re-interpreting Deuteronomy to empower women (of South Africa)

The patriarchal discourse in the Deuteronomic Code creates the need for its re-interpretation from a feminist perspective. This is in aid of understanding the subordination of women viewed from the following perspectives: their roles, images and the limited contributions of women in the ancient world. The reading also includes some remarks on the patrilineal and patriarchal organisation of the Israelite society and its family-centred economy – with special reference to the Covenant Code because of its similarity to Deuteronomy. This article describes how reformers of the Code formed a social structure which they made effective by linking disempowerment of women with other poverty alleviation laws.This article is part of the dissemination of a PhD dissertation entitled, “Disempowerment of and Violence against Women: Old Testament Perspectives,” under the supervision of Prof. D.J. Human, Department of Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/oldtestam2022Old Testament Studie

Disempowerment of and violence against women : old testament perspectives

The threats facing women with regards to disempowerment and violence against them are ubiquitous, but not invincible. This study has shown that while ANE societies, which include Egypt, Babylon, Assyria and Israel, and contemporary South Africa have some positive cultural values, the subordination of women persists. Even though there is heightened awareness of gender-based violence in the South African context, the efforts to lessen these hardships for women are still too feeble. This is due to a complex cultural milieu and other problems, such as the appeasement of the values embedded in a patriarchal society. Pentateuchal texts show us that similar challenges existed for women in ancient biblical times. The Hebrew Bible portrays many unfavourable incidences where women were disenfranchised and, in some cases, abused. Examples of care and appreciation for women, who are equally made in the image of God, are at times conspicuously absent. In view of these observations, this study proposes a Biblically-Informed Eclectic Intervention Network Theology (BEINT) model that reinterprets ancient historical texts to address the disempowerment of and violence against women. This care approach would go some way to counter the negative treatment of women in South Africa, including in places of worship. The uniqueness of the BEINT model is that it identifies the needs of hurting women and directs them to the organisations that may provide them with help and healing. Many women experiencing abuse often have no idea of the organisations or ministries that are able to offer BEINT care. The network provided by this model is likely to enhance the efforts of existing organisations that offer help to victims of gender-based violence. While ambitious in nature, this biblically-informed, care approach could address the challenges of South African women who are disempowered for cultural, economic and spiritual reasons. Because they are locally based and biblically informed, religious institutions are well positioned and have the potential to be a major resource that can be harnessed in the fight against the disempowerment of and violence towards women.Thesis (PhD (Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures))--University of Pretoria, 2020.Old Testament StudiesPhD (Old Testament and Hebrew Scriptures)Unrestricte

Freirean Utopian Didactic: A Retrospective View of Education in the South African Education Environment

This study investigates how the utopian didactic in education can be achieved in South Africa. It is foregrounded by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire’s collective and forward-looking dreams about what education, in the shattered sense of the “now”, can look like if teachers and students participate democratically in the learning process. Education, in a general sense, is a form of learning in which knowledge, skills and habits are transferred and nurtured from one generation to the next. But, in the Freirean utopian didactic, education involves so much more than the mere transfer of knowledge. It is about transformation, both internal (the individual) and external (society). By allowing students to critically reflect and engage in honest dialogue with their teacher, education can lead to social injustices being challenged and, hence, being overcome. Freire’s utopian vision of education is one in which hope and imagination are celebrated in the quest for a better world. This vision is sorely lacking in South African educational environment today, which is still bruised by decades of inequality. Using a literature review, this conceptual article explored whether a Freirean utopian didactic can be applied to the current education system in South Africa and bring about the much-needed transformation. We have examined whether a utopian education can be considered a basic right in South Africa, according to the Constitution, and whether it can be applied more broadly to the African continent. For education to meet the needs of all learners in the education system, a utopian education system based on quality educational skills, values and equal distribution of resources is highly recommended

The multidimensional role of the principal in post-apartheid-South-Africa

The end of apartheid in 1994 brought about radical changes in the South African education system, especially for school principals to manage their own affairs as promulgated in the South African Schools Act. These developments have changed the principal's position irrevocably. However, these changes did not result in the expected outcome in the majority of schools for a number of reasons. Teachers are frequently  unsure whether the anticipated changes will have the desired impact in schools. Moreover, principals and teachers have different views on how these changes will affect schools and their work. This paper adopts a conceptual approach that draws on various theories and concepts from the literature on school leadership and management. Understanding the challenges of the school principal's job after apartheid was the aim of the research. The Standards for School Principalship (2015) provided the theoretical framework and basis for this conceptual paper. It should be noted that principals are the most crucial persons in education since they serve as managers and major delivery agents in the educational system. They are the driving force behind improved educational outcomes in South Africa after apartheid. However, it is increasingly uncommon for principals to carry out their multifaceted tasks alone because of how significantly their positions have altered since 1994. All the parties concerned with running a school should receive training and orientation in this respect. The main findings of this paper are that, since the end of  apartheid, principals face various challenges in their role, such as lack of resources, support, autonomy, accountability, collaboration, diversity, equity, quality, innovation, and professionalism

Techno-Rationalism and Higher Educational Law: Examining Legal Frameworks in Southern African Universities from a Freirean Critical Pedagogy Perspective

This conceptual article explores the profound impact of techno-rationalism on educational law in Southern African universities. It also examines the influence of techno-rationalism on equity, social justice and academic freedom within higher education in the digital era. The article critically analyses the reshaping of educational law in Southern Africa by considering technological advancements, economic forces, affective factors and socio-cultural dynamics. It aims to investigate whether the implementation of techno-rationalist discourses hinders social justice aspirations in universities. Additionally, the article explores how pervasive neoliberalism and market-driven logic are at universities, questioning whether these practices overshadow the institution’s core objectives and commitment to social justice. The article envisions possibilities for reconceptualising the university in the era of techno-rationalism through the critical pedagogy theory. This theory is relevant to this work because it promotes an emancipatory theoretical framework that challenges learning environments, especially higher education institutions, where people might be politically, socially and economically disempowered. It also calls for a holistic approach to knowledge, curriculum and pedagogy that recognises the university’s embeddedness in a broader ecological and socio-cultural context. Through this exploration, the article contributes to the scholarly discourse on the decolonisation of universities and seeks to inspire new lines of enquiry addressing inequality and the pursuit of social justice in Southern African higher education institutions