page 163 - Long Walk Original Manuscript [LWOM_163.jpg]

African child remained alarmingly small in comparison to that spent on children of other groupings. For example, during the financial year 1951 52 the government spent approximately £7 on an African child, £18 for the Coloured and Indian and £43 per annum for white, more than six times the amount spent per capita on African children.

In accordance with the policy of providing Africans with a western type of education, an African language was theoretically used up to Standard IV and thereafter English. Whilst there were important differences in the respective syllabus' of the African and the white primary schools, at the secondary grades it was the same.

The Act transfered administrative control of African education to the central government but did not place it under the Education Department as was the case with other population groups. It fell under the Department of Bantu Administration. The local control of African schools was given to Africans and administered through school boards and school committees. To achieve the the transfer of African education the government used the powerful whip of progessively cutting down the subsidy through churches that refused to transfer their schools.

In explaining the principles of the Act Verwoerd, Minister of Bantu Administration, bluntly told the Senate that there was no place for Africans in the white community above the level of certain forms of labour. He proclaimed that Bantu Education must stand with both feet in the Reserves and having its roots in the spirit of being of African society. He regarded Africans as tribesmen and