Book Launch: Re-visioning Education in Africa: Ubuntu-Inspired Education for Humanity

• In Event: Book Launch Session 1

Proposal

Re-visioning Education in Africa: Ubuntu-Inspired Education for Humanity argues that Africa needs a revolution or at least some profound transformation as far as its educational systems with poor outcomes are concerned- a conceptual and pragmatic revolution. Its purpose is to seek fresh paths for education in Africa by theoretically and practically interrogating and re-visioning education within the African cultural and philosophical concept of Ubuntu. Within this setting it aims to: unpack the concept of an Ubuntu-inspired education for Africa and humanity; explore ways in, and extent to which the continent can harness the potential of its very youthful populations rather than be confronted with the risk that untapped talents and capabilities of the youth pose; examine types of policy questions that national/regional/continental governments ought to be asking themselves with regards to educational systems and the global partnership for development processes in Africa; problematize the type and level of education quality offered to these growing young populations in the various countries; probe the issue of how educational systems in the different countries in Africa are enabling their graduates or beneficiaries with the above considerations in mind; investigate the choices that governments and decision makers are making to ensure these conditions are fulfilled; take a critical look into ways and extent to which governments can convert or are converting the fast technological and economic advancement in the international sphere into tangible transformation and enhanced opportunities for Africa’s youth; interrogate the gender dimension and finally, explore the relationship and impact of re-visioned education on socio- economic and political development of Africa, and provide a critique of the current situation from an Ubuntu perspective, and how the Ubuntu philosophy will inspire a new type of education. For instance, what values and mind-set will the concept of Ubuntu bring into content and practice of education? Overall, the book proposes to instigate a rekindling of the debate on seeking new paths for education in Africa, and encourage fresh thinking and ways of seeing and practicing education in Africa in order to increase its relevance to society and national /regional/continental development. Simultaneously, it proposes the Ubuntu philosophy as Africa’s contribution of alternative education models to the world and participation in the South-North dialogue of re-mapping global education.

Authors

• N’Dri Thérèse Assié-Lumumba, Cornell University

• Emefa Juliet Takyi-Amoako, Oxford ATP International Education

• Jose Cossa, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University; Walden University

• Ali A. Abdi, University of British Columbia

• Mohamed Cherif Diarra, ERNWACA

• Hamidou Boukary, HDB Consulting

• Yusef Waghid, Stellenbosch University

• Eric Kemeh, University of Ghana