Adoption and Use of Indigenous Knowledge to Promote Education for Sustainable Development in Africa

Abstract

The achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) requires every individual to be an active participates and not just a passive observer and this also requires a change of mindset and behaviour towards the environment and fellow human beings which education is believed to be key. Yet, having a “global proposal” without taking into consideration the context within which the actions are taking place cast doubt as to whether the goals will be achieved by 2030. This is especially true with indigenous communities where the western type of education has led to a constant mismatch between the skills possessed by graduates and what is required in the job market as well as solving the problems of their communities. This chapter posits that the achievement of ESD must be through integration of indigenous knowledge as core in the educational system of indigenous communities. A typical example is the belief and philosophy of Ubuntu which was shared among indigenous people in Africa. Thus, through the recognition of the efficacy of indigenous knowledge, the chapter recommends that custodians of indigenous knowledge must be consulted and relevant knowledge be incorporated into the educational curriculum. The chapter further claims that instructors and students should be allowed to evaluate multiple perspectives and adopt appropriate content to promote confidence for transformative action. Moreover, indigenous people must overcome the major challenge of eradicating the root of western education, culture, and eastern religious beliefs to pave way for the complete integration of indigenous knowledge