The legislation divided schools by race and restructured the syllabus for black learners, focusing on preparing them for low-level jobs.
The 1953 Bantu Education Act, later called the Black Education Act, was a segregation statute in South Africa that institutionalized apartheid policies.
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This law enforced racial separation within educational institutions, mandating that black students attend schools created exclusively for them. The curriculum for black students featured classes conducted in indigenous languages, as well as Afrikaans and English. This act caused significant detriment to Black South Africans by denying them quality education. Its design aimed at keeping black communities illiterate and suppressing their ability to challenge the South African government.
The government took control of education under this law, and black teachers were paid very low wages. Tribal compositions dominated universities, and the three missionary schools operating then shut down due to lack of government funding.
Western-style schools were reserved for whites, while black schools were severely under-resourced. Many lacked basic amenities such as water and electricity. Though black schools were inexpensive, they were not tuition-free.