Bantu Education, and Its Living Educational and Socioeconomic Legacy in Apartheid and Post-Apartheid South Africa

Despite its 25th anniversary of democratic governance, the Republic of South Africa still reels from its past Apartheid legacy, especially in its education sector. One famous Apartheid policy was Bantu Education, which legally restricted the delivery of educational services to black South Africans during Apartheid. Because of Bantu Education and its lasting legacy in South Africa, many black South Africans have historically and continue to be denied access to quality education, depriving them of employment and other socioeconomic opportunities. This paper explores both educational and socioeconomic factors, such as school curriculum and vocational training, to demonstrate the important and foundational connection between education quality and socioeconomic outcome and opportunity. By additionally providing recommendations such as policy implementation and public-private partnerships to address Apartheid’s legacy in the country’s education sector, this paper holistically approaches the problems Bantu Education and its policies created and left behind in South Africa