The Role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Decolonising African School Curricula: A Zambian Perspective

Abstract

This study critically examines the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) within Zambian primary and secondary school curricula as a decolonisation strategy. Despite mounting global recognition of IKS value in addressing contemporary educational and developmental challenges, African curricula continue to privilege Western epistemologies, marginalising local knowledge systems and culturally grounded pedagogies. Employing a concurrent embedded mixed-methods design, this research engaged 61 participants including teachers, university lecturers, curriculum specialists, traditional leaders, and community members across Eastern and Lusaka provinces of Zambia. Data were collected through focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and structured questionnaires, subsequently analysed thematically and through descriptive statistics. Findings reveal a pronounced disconnect between policy rhetoric acknowledging IKS and its substantive curricular integration, with 72.7% of respondents indicating inadequate IKS representation in formal education. While participants overwhelmingly recognised IKS relevance in cultivating practical skills, preserving cultural heritage, and addressing localised challenges particularly in agriculture, environmental management, and traditional medicine significant barriers persist. These include entrenched colonial mindsets, insufficient teacher preparation, limited community engagement, and the paucity of documented IKS resources. The study proposes a comprehensive decolonisation framework integrating five key IKS domains (agriculture, environmental management, traditional medicine, cultural heritage, and indigenous technologies) with complementary aspects of Western scientific knowledge. This hybridised approach, grounded in preparationism, functionalism, and communalism philosophies, aims to produce holistic, contextually relevant education fostering self-reliance and cultural continuity. The research contributes to ongoing discourses on epistemological diversity, culturally responsive pedagogy, and sustainable development in postcolonial African education systems.