The inclusion of children’s rights and responsibilities in the South African school curriculum

Abstract

This study aimed to explore Grade 9 learners’ perceptions on the extent to which rights and responsibilities are taught in the school curriculum. The sample consisted of 577 learners from 13 public, independent and independent-subsidised schools, randomly sampled from four Johannesburg education districts. Data were collected through a quantitative questionnaire that was self-administered. Results showed that rights and responsibilities were being taught to a low or moderate extent in various learning areas. The findings suggest a gap in the teaching of children’s rights and responsibilities in the school curriculum. Based on the findings, we make several recommendations for the inclusion of children’s rights in the school curriculum in South African schools.