The Bantu Education Act was a law enacted in South Africa in 1953 that aimed to control the education of black South Africans. It established a separate and inferior education system for black students, designed to prepare them for a life of manual labor and subservience. The act was part of the broader system of apartheid, which enforced racial segregation and discrimination. Under the Bantu Education Act, the curriculum was limited and focused on vocational training rather than academic subjects. This legislation was a significant tool for the apartheid government, impacting the educational opportunities and future prospects of millions of black South Africans, including notable figures like Nelson Mandela.