Decolonization, Educational Reform and Sustainable Development

“Decolonizing the curriculum is a “multifaceted process” that aims to tell the truth. At the heart of it is the aim to offer a rigorous, inclusive education that recognizes that our current systems of knowledge and education are products of specific historical, social, cultural and political contexts.” - Michael Mumisa, Cambridge Special Livingstone Scholar. The Caribbean has had a shared history of enslavement and colonization that has significantly shaped Caribbean education systems. Colonial powers established education systems that routinely prioritized the interests of the colonizers, limiting access and curriculum for the colonized population. This history has resulted in lasting impacts on the region's educational landscape, including disparities in access, curriculum, and overall quality of education. Sadly, current educational leaders in the Caribbean have done very little to right this wrong. Too many of us in the Caribbean region have felt the weight of generational gaps in education policies which includes a lack of funding. To what extent is the creation of the National Standards Curriculum (NSC) a product of decolonization? The Jamaican education system is oftentimes celebrated as one of the best in the Caribbean. However, while there are pockets of success throughout the system there are also numerous potholes where students frequently get lost. Regrettably, these potholes are seen in the deficiencies in literacy and numeracy which continue to plague the Jamaican education system. One way to make our education better and more responsive to the needs of our students is by the process of decolonization. A decolonized curriculum involves critically examining and reforming educational content and practices to challenge the lasting impacts of colonialism and promote inclusivity. It aims to create a more equitable and culturally responsive learning environment by acknowledging diverse perspectives, histories, and knowledge systems. According to George Brown College, decolonizing the curriculum refers to the process of challenging and transforming traditional academic frameworks and perspectives in order to better reflect the experiences and perspectives of marginalized and historically oppressed communities. This process often involves a critical examination of the dominant narratives and power dynamics that have shaped the curriculum and a deliberate effort to include more diverse and inclusive perspectives and voices. Decolonizing the curriculum is important because it helps to create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students. Traditional academic frameworks often reflect the experiences and viewpoints of dominant groups and may exclude or minimize the contributions and experiences of marginalized communities. By decolonizing the curriculum, institutions and educators can work to create a more diverse and inclusive learning environment that better reflects the experiences and needs of all students. Decolonizing the curriculum means acknowledging how colonialism has shaped the content, structure, and delivery of education, and actively working to dismantle those negative legacies. Decolonization of the syllabus describes the process of undoing colonizing practices. It discusses different ways in which we can become more aware about cultural sensitivity and representation, and expecting that college students fit a certain expected stereotype. Within the educational context, decolonization means confronting and challenging the colonizing practices that have influenced education in the past, and which are still present today. The Jamaican education system has structural weaknesses in three major areas: inadequate leadership, inadequate resources and a low accountability environment. Are we asking too much of our education system given its many challenges?

Critical Thinking. Critical thinking is a fundamental skill that allows individuals to analyze, evaluate, and interpret information objectively and rationally. Critical thinking goes beyond merely accepting information at face value; instead, critical thinkers are equipped to delve deeper, question assumptions, and explore various perspectives before arriving at well-informed conclusions. This ability to think critically is highly valued across various domains, including education, business, and everyday life. Sadly, in many classrooms too many of our students accept the information presented by the teachers without any form of intellectual challenge. Many education theorists view students as passive receptors of information. Culturally, in Jamaica, we tend to believe that children should be seen but not heard. Clearly, not as popular as before, there are many quarters that still hold on to this outdated perspective. The 21st century learner should be both seen and heard. Students need to foster and effectively apply critical thinking skills to their academic studies, and to the multifaceted problems that they will face. Undoubtedly, there is enormous information in this era of information explosion and rapid technological advancements. The Jamaican education system struggled in the past to properly address critical thinking among the student population especially those who were at the primary level where route learning is oftentimes the model. With the replacement of the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) with the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) it was expected that critical thinking would have been at the center of this examination. However, is this really the situation? Decolonizing the curriculum can also help to promote critical thinking and encourage students to question and challenge dominant narratives and power dynamics. By exposing students to a wider range of perspectives and histories, institutions and educators can help students develop a more nuanced and complex understanding of the world and the issues that shape it. The Way Forward. Access to education is not the same as decolonization the curriculum. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #4 addresses the issue of access. The United Nation states, troubling regional disparities exist in early childhood development, and sub-Saharan Africa is at a particular disadvantage. Despite modest improvements in literacy, hundreds of millions of people remain illiterate, and women are disproportionately affected. Teacher qualification challenges persist and there has been minimal improvement since 2015. The rise of digital societies necessitates the integration of technology into education, in order to ensure that young people and future generations have access to relevant, high-quality content that prepares them for the demands of a rapidly evolving labour market. Colonialism has had profound and lasting impacts on societies and individuals, and decolonizing the curriculum is a way to address those injustices. Historically, a number of groups have been marginalized in the Jamaican society. Some of these groups include the Rastafarians, students with disabilities, marginalized boys, those who are economically disadvantaged and the Maroons. Curriculum planning and development requires a diverse and broad based group of specialists. Differing views and perspectives must be interrogated and challenged. Unfortunately, the tendency in Jamaica is for us to believe that knowledge rests with a selected few. Perhaps the most essential part of decolonization is continual reflection. Schools should be willing to reflect on curriculum, power dynamics, their own structuring, and any action undertaken on behalf of their students. It involves recognizing and valuing knowledge systems outside of the traditional Western canon, including Indigenous knowledge, traditional ecological knowledge, and knowledge from the Global South. Michael Ohajura, a cultural historian is of the opinion that the difference between a colonized and decolonized curriculum is about creating a “together history”. “If you do mathematics, you don’t just use Greek mathematics, you do African mathematics, or embrace some of the traditions of Africa,” he said. “With language, you look at different languages and their culture and their history and their ideas. So, it’s increasingly embracing the other rather than having a central theme of the White western tradition In the Jamaican context many of us are uncomfortable using Jamaican English or patois because of the associations of being less intellectual or dumb. We have been socialized to ridicule and disassociate ourselves from patois speaking Jamaicans especially in formal and academic circles and this is problematic. The authorities who guide educational policies must be intentional in order for students to become citizens who value their identities. Young Jamaicans need to understand and treasure their rich culture and heritage. Being confident, productive and developing a culture for lifelong learning must not be taken for granted. It is for this reason that a re-evaluation of the National Standards Curriculum is urgently needed. Such an assessment must be done through the lens of a historical framework in order to reposition the history of Caribbean people as the central focus. Access to education is not enough. In the words of P.J. Patterson, we must remove barriers to education, whether they be economic, cultural, or systemic, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn and grow to his or her full potential. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©