ENGENDERING GEOGRAPHY EDUCATION IN SOUTH AFRICA: THE NEED TO “PUT WOMEN ON THE MAP”

ABSTRACT

This contribution does not set out to make a complete survey of geographical education in South Africa but attempts to provide a gender critique of geographical education at the school and tertiary levels. More specifically, the school level geography curriculum and the envisaged Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) systems are examined. The intention is to provide some signposts which will enable the incorporation of gender studies in geography education. Central to the arguments raised in this paper is a desire to see a more concerted effort to transform the nature and content of geographical knowledge in a gender sensitive manner. Furthermore, the methodologies we use to conduct research and impart geographical information need to be reviewed and critically examined from a gender perspective.