White educator perceptions regarding school integration: Implication for multicultural education

Abstract

The admission of learners from various racial backgrounds to integrated schools such as the historically white schools, several challenges became evident. These diverse challenges include amongst others; differences in culture, race, language, ethnicity, norms, habits, home environment, teaching and learning styles, as well as the black learners and white educators having to adapt to the new, diverse classroom situation. Schools have thus become the sites of cultural convergence where previously diverse and divided cultures were to meet for the first time, on supposedly "equal footing". This study reports on white educator perceptions in Northern Cape High schools regarding this integration process and the implication it has for the enhancement of multicultural education. The study has uncovered issues that historically white schools need to consider in addressing the issues and challenges associated with school integration.