Impediments towards the advancement of the decolonisation agenda in African higher education: Lessons from the East African experience.

 

 

The rise of nationalism in the post-World War II period in Africa gave new impetus to the call for the decolonisation of African institutions. Both the academic and political leadership joined hands in making this call. Africa’s independence in the 1960s and 1970s brought a glimmer of hope that this goal would be achieved. Intriguingly, over five decades later, decolonisation has not yet been achieved as evidenced in events such as the 2015/2016 #FeesMustFall movement which called for the decolonisation of the curriculum. The question which begs for attention is: Why is it difficult to achieve decolonisation? The East African experience is used as an example while citing examples from other African countries. Drawing from archival and secondary sources, the presentation enumerates some of the factors which serve as impediments towards achieving decolonisation at African higher education institutions in general and in South Africa in particular. The presentation argues that some of the factors are historical while others are current. It recommends that to address the current situation will need concerted efforts which draw from academic fields such as development studies, history, political science, and sociology. Unless this important step is taken, the decolonisation agenda will remain a far-fetched dream.

 

 

Africanisation, decolonisation, East Africa, higher education, independence.