Journal
Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research
MJAAR
Critical Pedagogy and Neocolonial Curricula: A Postcolonial Interrogation of Foreign-Engineered Education Reforms in Africa
Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Ahumuza Audrey
| Journal | Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research (MJAAR) |
| Volume / Issue | Vol. 5, No. 3 |
| Published | 31 March 2026 |
| ISSN | 3006-6417 |
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
Cite This Article
Dr. Arinaitwe Julius & Ahumuza Audrey (2026). Critical Pedagogy and Neocolonial Curricula: A Postcolonial Interrogation of Foreign-Engineered Education Reforms in Africa. Metropolitan Journal of Academic and Applied Research, 5(3). https://journals.miu.ac.ug/pages/article.php?article_id=271
More in This Issue
View full issue →
11
Beyond the Clock: An Analysis of Extended Work Hours, Employee Compensation, and Perceived Productivity in Ugandan Organizations
Extended work hours
overtime compensation
employee productivity
job satisfaction
12
Black is Not a Color: A Philosophical, Scientific, and Decolonial Inquiry into Essence, Origin, and the Epistemology of Blackness
Blackness
epistemology
decoloniality
color science
13
14
Epistemology Rooted in Nature: Interrogating Sources of Knowledge Through a Da Vincian Lens
Knowledge and Da Vincian Lens
15
From Fatalism to Agency: Reversing the Civic Expectancy-Prayer Paradigm in African Development
civic engagement
religious orientation
theological fatalism
collective efficacy