The works of William Shakespeare, the poet and playwright widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language, could soon feature less prominently and possibly be completely removed from South African schools’ curriculum. The Department of Basic Education is looking to review the national curriculum, including the emphasis on the works of Shakespeare often prescribed for teaching and learning. This comes as debate on "decolonising" the curriculum in universities and schools continues to rage. The issue also took centre stage during the recent #FeesMustFall protests. According to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, a focus on "decolonisation" will continue to feature in the curriculum review process. She said there was a need to move towards the greater inclusion of African and South African writings for novels/drama and poetry and this would be part of the long-term curriculum review process. "Therefore, the consideration of the works of Shakespeare is an aspect of ...
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