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Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research

Critical Pedagogy and Neocolonial Curricula: A Postcolonial Interrogation of Foreign-Engineered Education Reforms in Africa

Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius1 , Ahumuza Audrey2

Journal: Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research (MJAAR)

Volume/Issue: Volume 5 - Issue 3

Published: 01 Jan 1970


Abstract

Purpose: This study critically examined the neocolonial dimensions of foreign-engineered education reforms in Africa through a postcolonial lens, analyzing structural mechanisms through which externally-driven interventions perpetuate epistemic violence, reproduce dependency relations, and marginalize indigenous African epistemologies while exploring counter-hegemonic pedagogical alternatives. Methodology: A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was conducted between January 2023 and August 2024 across five African countries (Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, and South Africa). The quantitative phase surveyed 1,847 educators, curriculum developers, and educational administrators using validated instruments measuring neocolonial influence, epistemic violence, curriculum sovereignty, cultural identity erosion, and pedagogical resistance. Univariate analyses established baseline distributions, bivariate analyses examined relationships through correlations and ANOVA, and structural equation modeling tested a comprehensive theoretical framework specifying mediation pathways. The qualitative phase involved 67 semi-structured interviews, 12 focus group discussions, and critical discourse analysis of curriculum documents and policy texts. Findings: Results revealed exceptionally high levels of perceived educational dependency (M=4.02) and indigenous knowledge marginalization (M=4.15) contrasted with low curriculum sovereignty (M=2.34), with World Bank/IMFfunded reforms exhibiting significantly higher neocolonial influence (M=4.23) than domestically-funded initiatives (M=2.78, p
Keywords

critical pedagogy, neocolonialism, epistemic violence, curriculum sovereignty, postcolonial education, African epistemologies, educational dependency

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