Discrimination and biases in textbooks used in South African public schools

Abstract

This policy brief draws on an assessment conducted on textbooks currently in use in South African public schools. The results reveal that various forms of discrimination are insidiously present in school textbooks. While discrimination was evidenced predominantly through imagery/pictorial presentations, there were also instances in which discrimination was expressed through language embedded in the text. This brief sets out policy recommendations for eliminating stereotypes and discriminatory practices that are manifested in these materials.