Philosophy of Education: Becoming Less Western, More African?

Abstract

Posing the question ‘How diverse is philosophy of education in the West?’ this paper responds to two recent defences of African philosophy of education which endorse its communitarianism and oppose individualism in Western philosophy of education. After outlining Thaddeus Metz's argument that Western philosophy of education should become more African by being more communitarian, and Yusef Waghid's defence of communitarianism in African philosophy of education, we develop a qualified defence of aspects of individualism in education. Our reservations about some aspects of communitarianism lead us to argue for a role for some forms of individualism in African as well as Western education. Finally, reflecting on what is at stake in this kind of comparative philosophy of education, we argue that an over‐emphasis on cultural differences can distract philosophers of education from the attention they should pay to the common dangers posed across continents by the influence of global capitalism on education.

African Humanities and the Paradox of Western Education in Ghana

“…This would contribute to the attainment of "African educational ends [which highlight] the community's customs, the acquisition of moral personhood, work-based learning as preparation for work that supports the community and its development, and dialogue." 61 Vernacularization -an intentional educational policy aimed at promoting the use of "first language in the education of children in multilingual Ghana" -should be reinvented. 62 The general agreement among scholars who have engaged in systematic research on the role of language in education reveals that in multilingual communities such as Ghana, the first language (L1) should be given an important place in the education of children during their formative years, despite some practical challenges that usually characterize such a venture.…”

Decolonising (through) inclusive education?

“…This links to the debates about the position of the individual within ubuntu, which are beyond the scope of this article. For my purposes, it is sufficient to note Enslin and Horsthemke's (2016) concerns about an overemphasis on communitarianism in an African philosophy of education based on ubuntu. As much as communities may value interdependence, deliberation, and inclusion, Enslin and Horsthemke remind their readers that communities may equally be oppressive, exploitative, and indeed exclusionary.…”