Reclaiming the Narrative: Dr. Lawalley Cole on Decolonizing African Education

CAFOR is proud to share highlights from an insightful interview featuring our Executive Director, Dr. Lawalley Cole, on Sputnik Africa’s The Rising South. Dr. Cole engaged in a critical conversation with host Wasanseger Assefa, journeying through the complex history of African Education—from its robust pre-colonial systems to the enduring legacies of colonialism and the urgent need for reform today.

Dr. Cole emphasized that pre-colonial education was fundamentally communal, values-driven, and holistic, focusing on the moral and social development of the entire person, as exemplified by philosophies like Ubuntu (“I am because we are”). He contrasted this cooperative approach with the competition-focused structures inherited from the colonial era, which were primarily designed to serve imperial interests by producing clerks and an obedient elite, often at the cost of indigenous languages, cultures, and knowledge systems.

While acknowledging the infrastructure left behind by colonial powers, Dr. Cole stressed that the true task of post-independence Africa is to completely transform these frameworks. He discussed the ongoing efforts by African governments to implement curriculum reforms, promote STEM, and invest in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). However, he cautioned that success hinges on robust, stable, and visionary leadership—drawing powerful comparisons with the developmental trajectories of countries like South Korea and India.

Dr. Cole’s message is clear: Africa must chart a new course rooted in its own heritage and aspirations, ensuring that education truly serves the continent’s development needs and the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063.

Watch the interview on the Sputnik Africa website.

https://amh.sputniknews.africa/20250630/831656.html