The Department of Basic Education has issued a formal apology following concerns that were raised about the terminology used in Mathematical Literacy Paper 1, written on 3 November.
The term ‘Mandatory Palestine’ appeared in Question 5.2 of the exam.
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The Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA) says Britain used the term during its rule over the Palestinian population, a term that is still causing suffering among the Palestinian people under the current regime of Israel, which they describe as a settler colonial apartheid state.
The use of ‘Mandatory Palestine’ implies legitimacy and occupation on the part of Israel, according to the alliance, as reported by IOL.
The alliance further states, ‘This, despite the numerous international human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and B’Tselem — the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights, as well as the United Nations — has confirmed that, based on international law, Israel is an apartheid state and is illegally occupying historic Palestine.’
‘Our own government and many other states and civil society organisations further endorse this globally.’
The PSA has requested the minister of education, Angie Motshekga investigate how such a biased and insensitive term was allowed in a national examination paper.
Adding, ‘In particular, we want to know who was responsible for setting this paper, who the moderators were, and what will be done to correct this. We further call for a total review of the curriculum in the education system to correct the colonial and apartheid biases that still permeate much of the conduct of those in authority as well as the content of our education.’
The African National Congress (ANC) MP Khalid Sayed said the Department of Basic Education’s decision to employ this term about the State of Palestine reveals a clear indifference to the profound political sensitivities associated with the Israel-Palestine conflict.
‘The inclusion of such terminology within an educational context is highly inappropriate and reflects a lack of consideration for the suffering of the Palestinian people at the hands of the Israeli apartheid state, which has been widely criticised for human rights violations and allegations of genocide,’ said Sayed.
The Department of Basic Education released a statement in response to the complaints, which read: ‘The Department regards the use of this term in the national examination question paper as highly unfortunate and regrettable.’
‘The DBE regrets the use of the term mandatory Palestine, which certainly does not take cognisance of the rooted political sensitivities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the DBE will put mechanisms in place to ensure that this unfortunate incident does not recur.’
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