Blog post by Adriaan Lucassen (5 EC)
I have studied several educational projects in Africa and have also written about the paradox that exists between nature education giving people the knowledge they need to protect it and education putting people in powerful places. Time to look to the future.
The future of African education
As explained in another post, I have not really had the chance to look at African curricula. However, it can be ascertained that the formal education system in many African countries can be improved. But let me go deeper into the educational projects that could contribute to everything. I would like to see a project like the Hustle Economy Programme in South Africa in many other countries, as it helps people on a small scale but in a large sector. I also think it would be good if, where needed, assistance in education about nature could be given internationally, from one African country to the other and also from and even to the western world. I am aware that this is happening already, but everywhere has different expertise when it comes to nature. It would be good to see knowledge exchanged and passed down to next generations. What springs to mind is an African biology teacher and a European one swapping their jobs for a month or so. Sounds good to me.
I can’t predict the future and am obviously cherry-picking in choosing projects to look at and thinking of possible future projects. Forgive me for that. However I am a naturally optimistic person and get enthusiastic easily; writing this project has given me hope!
Further research
For researchers who have the means and funds to do so, I still think it could be interesting to look at comparing curricula in several African countries; perhaps with the focus on nature education, perhaps not even and compare several aspects of them. Sources are difficult to find online, so one will have to look deeper than that.
Also, when it comes to educational projects, I think research into what I call “nomadic education” could be interesting; groups travelling around a country/area to educate people on a topic: Does that really work and what is the impact?