Student revolt in pedagogical perpective

Inaugural lecture--Department of Education, Rand Afrikaans University, 24 July 1973The contemporary extensive student revolts are essentially focused on the total overthrow of the social order. Typically anarchistic, they propagate revolution for the sake of revolution. The leadership of the movement is in the hands of a small group Neo-Marxists of the New Left. Their orientation is based on the theoretical constructs of the Neo-Marxist philosophers and educationists. The latter pursue the so-called "emancipatory education". which has two central themes. namely: 1. Emancipation: To Neo-Marxists this concept implies that the child should develop towards a state of critical relativation of all religious concepts and cultural inheritances, so that he or she can help to destroy the existing social order. 2. Anti-authoritarian education: Only by means of antiauthoritarian education can the abovementioned educational goal be accomplished. According to the Neo-Marxists the child should be left unrestricted to develop completely free and independent. If one analyses the educational situation scientifically. it is evident that education without authority is impossible. Empirical evidence obtained at Essex proved that complete freedom did not satisfy students. but rather instigated them towards matchless violence. Furthermore, empirical evidence proved that anarchistic students came from families with so called liberal educational policies. where anti-authoritarian and leftist views were held. The child and youthful person very much wants authority and a sympathetic and authoritarian form of guidance. If rebellious students do not find this at home, they will search for it. This is probably why they identify with evolutionaries such as Fidel Castro and Mao TseTung.The educational goal of an emancipated personality by way of Neo-Marxism, is not justifiable. In a justifiable system of education the goal is becoming autonomous and responsible, so that the person is able to accept freedom. This implies a sensible conceptualization and maintenance of the human world, and not the overthrow thereof. The problem of the modern youth is that they are faced with so many conflicting values that they cannot orient themselves towards their world anymore. Therefore the adult should constantly be in a dialogue with the youthful, to orientate him towards these values and the world around him. Universities should constantly create means by which such dialogue with students would become possible. In these values the youth should have the constant example of adults who live by their values