Management of a decolonized educational curriculum: how far is Africa as a continent?

Abstract

The paper critiques how far has Africa as a continent moved with regards to the decolonization of educational curriculum particularly in higher education institutions. This is in cognizance of the reality that at one stage, higher education institutions in Africa taught its students an educational curriculum inherited from their colonial masters. The paper is both conceptual and theoretical in nature. Desktop and document study were used to collect data from stakeholders in one higher education institution in Africa, namely, South Africa. Research findings reveal that firstly, a decolonized educational curriculum has to be applied to revolutionize the society. Secondly, there are adverse effects for delivering un-decolonized educational curriculum to tertiary students. Thirdly, a decolonized educational curriculum supplants monologue with dialogue. Lastly, a decolonized educational curriculum removes the ivory tower status of African higher education institutions. As part of the conclusion, the researcher recommends that Higher Education South Africa (HESA), a body of all South African tertiary institutions, has to make it mandatory for tertiary institutions to have their educational curricula decolonized ten years down the line.

Keywords: colonialism, decolonization, dialogue, ivory tower status, revolutionize