Exploring Curriculum Landscapes in Africa

This book presents a critical examination of post-colonial curriculum transformation across seven African nations. This comprehensive analysis interrogates whether educational systems in South Africa, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Ghana have successfully decolonized their curricula or remain entrenched in Western epistemological and ontological frameworks despite political independence. Through rigorous investigation of curriculum policies and pedagogical practices, the authors analyze the complex dynamics of educational reform in post-colonial African contexts. The work critically examines the extent to which these education systems have managed to integrate indigenous knowledge systems and local epistemologies into their curricula, or whether they continue to perpetuate Western paradigms of knowledge production and dissemination. In doing so, it offers a theoretically sophisticated yet empirically grounded analysis of the challenges and opportunities in reconstructing African education systems that authentically reflect local cultural contexts while meeting contemporary educational demands. Oscar Koopman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Curriculum Studies at Stellenbosch University. His research focuses on phenomenology as a research philosophy, chemistry education, and the decolonization of university and school curricula. He has authored two books independently published with Palgrave Macmillan and Peter Lang in New York, and co-authored two additional books. One co-authored book is published with Palgrave Macmillan in New York, and the other is published with Whale Coast Academic Press in Cape Town, South Africa. Karen Joy Koopman is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Studies at the University. Of the Western Cape. Her research focuses on phenomenology as a research philosophy, commerce education, and the decolonization of university and school curricula. She has co-authored two books published with Palgrave and the other is published with Whale Coast Academic Press in Cape Town, South Africa. Mutendwahothe Walter “Wally” Lumadi is a Full Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, in the School of Teacher Education, at the University of South Africa. He has more than twenty-five years of experience in the field of Higher Education. During his tenure he has held numerous management positions such as Director of the School of Postgraduate Studies at NWU and Campus Rector of Westminster College of Education in Johannesburg. He has promoted more than 50 postgraduate students. Moreover, he has published articles in journals across the world and also served as a guest editor of nine accredited journals and he serves on the board of editors for ERR international journal. Samuel Amponsah an Associate Professor in Open and Distance Learning, boasts of a diverse educational career across Ghana, South Africa, Egypt and the UK. Holding a Doctoral degree in Curriculum Studies from the University of South Africa and a Master of Philosophy in Adult Education from the University of Ghana, he brings extensive academic knowledge. Before joining the University of Ghana, he served as the head of the Farming Management Department at Esayidi TVET in South Africa, and a teacher with the Ghana Education Service. Samuel has taught graduate courses at various higher educational institutions in Ghana.