On Monday, June 5 2006, on the front page of the Business Report, it was stated that, “Schools fail to teach the basics, MPs hear”. The article proclaimed that young people were leaving school without having reading or numeracy skills, and because of that businesses were often unable to train young recruits. Each year, fewer than half of the million children who started at grade 1 will register for grade 12. Even those who leave after grade 12 do not have the basic skills to seek work (Hamlyn, 2006: 1).

Some of those school leavers may become our students.

In this paper I argue that because of recurriculation at secondary level and the concomitant inadequate development of cognitive skills, repercussions are being felt at tertiary level. Over a five year period certain changes have been made in my teaching, which are a direct response to the process of democratization within education. I begin by outlining personal attempts to adapt my teaching practice.

The educational context and issues around policy and the intended curriculum are then discussed. The following section investigates how recurriculation affects the implemented curriculum, practice and pedagogy in schools, which in turn impacts on teaching philosophies and methodologies. In conclusion possible ways to instill a more effective approach to learning will be considered.