The Training of African Teachers in Natal from 1846–1964

The history of African teacher training in Natal is one of the most neglected and under-researched aspects of educational history. This book attempts to set out the administrative history of this field as a first step in stimulating the further research that is so urgently needed. It provides an overview of how and why African teachers were trained in the colony and province of Natal, starting in 1846 with the arrival of the first missionaries and ending in 1964, ten years after the Bantu Education Act was passed. By focusing on the past, the book also aims to provide a historical lens through which modern educational problems can be viewed. The quality of an education system, past or present, depends on its teachers, and the most vital task of any education system is to ensure that teachers are properly trained to do what they should do: inspire and intellectually stimulate the young generation.

Nicolas Schicketanz is a history specialist with a particular interest in the education field. His interest in South African history began during his practical teaching term at the German School in Pretoria in 2006. He obtained his doctorate from the University of Basel in 2015 and currently teaches English and German at the Openbaar Lyceum in Zeist, the Netherlands.