Abstract:
The ideal of creating a non-racial and equitable school environment is embedded
in the South African Constitution. This ideal is informed by a desire to overcome
the divisions of the apartheid past by pursuing policies and strategies that will
promote the achievement of social cohesion, without denying space for various
identities. Schools are seen as im portant vehicles for driving social cohesion
amongst learners and it is therefore important that all learners, irrespective of
their race, experience a sense of belonging in the school. Using a case study and
an interactive qualitative analysis research methodology, we explored the
experiences of black and Indian learners in a desegregated former House of
Delegates school to determine the successes and possible challenges of ensuring
racial integration at the school level and therefore its contribution to social
cohesion. The study demonstrates the importance of eight concepts (namely, the
school as a welcoming space; belonging; respect; security; equality in the way
we socialise; tender loving care; motivation; and freedom) to the study of racial
integration and social cohesion. This article focuses on the contribution that
sense of belonging has on creating a school environment that is enabling,
contributing to learner achievement and concludes that sense of belonging,
integration, and social cohesion are intertwined and important in creating an
environment that is welcoming and a “home” to diverse learners and educators.
