Policy Gaps and Opportunities for Integrating Indigenous Music into South African Higher Education Curricula

Abstract

Integrating Indigenous music into South African higher education curricula is essential for advancing curriculum transformation, redressing historical marginalisation, and promoting cultural inclusion. However, despite increasing policy recognition of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), it remains unclear whether national frameworks provide sufficient structural support for meaningful curricular change. This article critically examined four key policy documents, the 1997 White Paper on Higher Education, the 2013 White Paper for Post-School Education and Training, the 2016 Policy Framework for Social Inclusion in Post-School Education and Training, and the 2017 Revised White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage, to assess their capacity to enable or constrain the integration of Indigenous music. Drawing on a qualitative document analysis guided by Weimer and Vining’s policy analysis framework and informed by a conceptual framing of Indigenous music and Indigenous education, the analysis systematically evaluated policy intent, implementation feasibility, and institutional alignment. The findings revealed that while the policies symbolically endorse transformation and cultural diversity, they lack curriculum-level mandates, funding mechanisms, and participatory structures involving Indigenous cultural practitioners. The article argues for coherent, actionable, and inclusive policy strategies that move beyond rhetorical recognition towards practical support, positioning Indigenous music as a vital knowledge domain within higher education transformation.