ASSIGNMENT 03: PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION (PART A)
African philosophy and an African philosophy of education
Write an essay of not more than 5 typed pages (bibliography excluded) on the
following topic:
The Nature of African Philosophy of Education.
Structure your essay as follows:
Introduction to the essay where you indicate what it means when someone says, “I am
an African”. (5)
Being African has nothing to do with your skin color or religion. It has nothing to
do with your grandparents' birthplace, your birthplace, or even where you reside
now it means having a strong connection to this continent, its history, beauty, and
people. It is an identity decision infused with your own unique color, emotion, and
experience. Being African means being matured in self-discipline, have the
aspiration for education, respect for traditional values, early search for identity,
and a wholesome spirit of cooperation and dependence on one another.
Africa's culture is diverse and diverse, consisting of a mix of countries and tribes,
each with its own distinct characteristics from the continent of Africa. It is the result
of the varied populations that occupy Africa and the African diaspora. In general,
culture may be described as a cumulative mass of distinguishing characteristics
shared by a certain group of people. These characteristics include laws, morality,
beliefs, knowledge, art, customs, and any other characteristics shared by a
member of that community. Africans are a diverse ethnic group with distinct
characteristics such as language, cuisine, greetings, and dances. However, all
African peoples share a set of strong cultural characteristics that set African
culture apart from the rest of the globe. Even though African cultures are widely
diverse, they are also, when closely studied, seen to have many similarities; for
example, the morals they uphold, their love and respect for their culture, as well
as the strong respect they hold for the aged and the important, i.e. kings and
chiefs.
Other continents have impacted and been influenced by Africans. This is
exemplified by their readiness to adapt to the ever-changing contemporary
environment rather than remaining mired in their stagnant culture. The
Westernized few, influenced by American culture and Christianity, initially denied
African traditional culture, but as African nationalism grew, cultural rehabilitation
happened.
Body of the essay, where you should deal with the following: The contribution that
African philosophy can make to education in terms of:
Ubuntu
Blackwood, (2018: 30) states that the concept of Ubuntu pedagogy is a humanizing
approach to teaching and engaging students in the learning process. Teachers embracing
Ubuntu pedagogy create a learning space that affirms, validates, and treats learners as
dignified human beings regardless of their race or class according to Ukpokodu, (2016:
155). A learner-centered pedagogical approach that promotes democratic atmospheres
1|Page
, where students feel respected, cared for and have the freedom to co-learn in an
environment where power relations are grounded in humanism” (Ukpokodu 2016: 155).
Central to Ubuntu pedagogy is the idea that all learners, irrespective of their racial,
educational, economic and linguistic backgrounds and sexual orientations are humans,
who are capable of excelling in their learning if their humanity is positioned at the forefront
of their teaching and learning. That is, Ubuntu pedagogy asserts learners as significant
others who bring unique backgrounds, experiences and prior knowledge for teachers to
build on towards the development of new knowledge. In that way, teachers need learners’
contributions to create a meaningful learning space. One is not complete without the
other. Hence, the essence of Ubuntu pedagogy lies in the recognition of equal partnership
between the teachers and students as co-creators of knowledge. Thus, the Ubuntu maxim
‘umuntu ungumuntu ngabantu’ (a person is a person through other people) comes into
full blossom in the classroom (Letseka 2000:335).
When teachers understand and embrace Ubuntu, it is likely that Ubuntu values can
empower them to combat exclusion and employ pedagogies that aim to reach all learners
in the classrooms. Inclusive pedagogies thrive on the connectedness between learners,
teachers and a community of learning, which all provide a positive environment, which in
turn positively influences learners’ self-worth, self-belief and achievement. Successful
learning depends on these networks of support. Phasha (2016: 4) argues that inclusive
education is the essence of Ubuntu – that we live in a delicate web of interconnectedness
and interdependence with each other: ‘I am because we are’ (Phasha 2016:4). Inclusive
pedagogy, like Ubuntu, has the potential to promote respect, cooperation and solidarity
among learners and teachers. In this way, all learners feel a sense of belonging and
acceptance.
Ubuntu in education is considered to be African cultural capitals that provide indigenous
knowledge which is actually important for integrating into our African conception of
inclusion which in turn promote inclusivity (Letseka 2013: 148). In other words, Ubuntu
pedagogy does not only encourage the development of all learners as individuals, but it
also promotes active collaboration between learners from diverse linguistic and cultural
backgrounds who bring different characteristics and learning needs into the classrooms.
In this way, Ubuntu pedagogy affirms diversity as an ordinary aspect of development.
Ubuntu pedagogy rejects exclusion, marginalisation and inequality in the teaching and
learning spaces (Phasha 2016:5).
The values of Ubuntu embrace principles of social justice (Broodryk 2005:128). Social
justice relates to principles of equality, equity and fairness towards members of a
community or individuals who have been previously marginalised, disadvantaged or
excluded economically, politically and socially based on their race, gender, social class,
language, religion, sexual preference and beliefs. Equally, where Ubuntu is recognised,
there is a respect for diversity in religion, race, gender, beliefs, sexual orientation and
language. Teachers practising within Ubuntu perspectives provide all learners,
irrespective of their cultural, linguistic, social class, religion and sexual orientations, with
equal opportunities to develop and to exercise their full capacities (Letseka 2013:335).
Where Ubuntu pedagogy and social justice exist in a classroom, all learners are treated
with dignity and respect regardless of their backgrounds. “The value of Ubuntu is to make
the relationship between learners and break down the barriers of diversity within the
classroom settings. These are also goals of social justice in education” (Broodryk 2005:
46). Ubuntu encompasses values of social justice and promotes relationships between
2|Page
African philosophy and an African philosophy of education
Write an essay of not more than 5 typed pages (bibliography excluded) on the
following topic:
The Nature of African Philosophy of Education.
Structure your essay as follows:
Introduction to the essay where you indicate what it means when someone says, “I am
an African”. (5)
Being African has nothing to do with your skin color or religion. It has nothing to
do with your grandparents' birthplace, your birthplace, or even where you reside
now it means having a strong connection to this continent, its history, beauty, and
people. It is an identity decision infused with your own unique color, emotion, and
experience. Being African means being matured in self-discipline, have the
aspiration for education, respect for traditional values, early search for identity,
and a wholesome spirit of cooperation and dependence on one another.
Africa's culture is diverse and diverse, consisting of a mix of countries and tribes,
each with its own distinct characteristics from the continent of Africa. It is the result
of the varied populations that occupy Africa and the African diaspora. In general,
culture may be described as a cumulative mass of distinguishing characteristics
shared by a certain group of people. These characteristics include laws, morality,
beliefs, knowledge, art, customs, and any other characteristics shared by a
member of that community. Africans are a diverse ethnic group with distinct
characteristics such as language, cuisine, greetings, and dances. However, all
African peoples share a set of strong cultural characteristics that set African
culture apart from the rest of the globe. Even though African cultures are widely
diverse, they are also, when closely studied, seen to have many similarities; for
example, the morals they uphold, their love and respect for their culture, as well
as the strong respect they hold for the aged and the important, i.e. kings and
chiefs.
Other continents have impacted and been influenced by Africans. This is
exemplified by their readiness to adapt to the ever-changing contemporary
environment rather than remaining mired in their stagnant culture. The
Westernized few, influenced by American culture and Christianity, initially denied
African traditional culture, but as African nationalism grew, cultural rehabilitation
happened.
Body of the essay, where you should deal with the following: The contribution that
African philosophy can make to education in terms of:
Ubuntu
Blackwood, (2018: 30) states that the concept of Ubuntu pedagogy is a humanizing
approach to teaching and engaging students in the learning process. Teachers embracing
Ubuntu pedagogy create a learning space that affirms, validates, and treats learners as
dignified human beings regardless of their race or class according to Ukpokodu, (2016:
155). A learner-centered pedagogical approach that promotes democratic atmospheres
1|Page
, where students feel respected, cared for and have the freedom to co-learn in an
environment where power relations are grounded in humanism” (Ukpokodu 2016: 155).
Central to Ubuntu pedagogy is the idea that all learners, irrespective of their racial,
educational, economic and linguistic backgrounds and sexual orientations are humans,
who are capable of excelling in their learning if their humanity is positioned at the forefront
of their teaching and learning. That is, Ubuntu pedagogy asserts learners as significant
others who bring unique backgrounds, experiences and prior knowledge for teachers to
build on towards the development of new knowledge. In that way, teachers need learners’
contributions to create a meaningful learning space. One is not complete without the
other. Hence, the essence of Ubuntu pedagogy lies in the recognition of equal partnership
between the teachers and students as co-creators of knowledge. Thus, the Ubuntu maxim
‘umuntu ungumuntu ngabantu’ (a person is a person through other people) comes into
full blossom in the classroom (Letseka 2000:335).
When teachers understand and embrace Ubuntu, it is likely that Ubuntu values can
empower them to combat exclusion and employ pedagogies that aim to reach all learners
in the classrooms. Inclusive pedagogies thrive on the connectedness between learners,
teachers and a community of learning, which all provide a positive environment, which in
turn positively influences learners’ self-worth, self-belief and achievement. Successful
learning depends on these networks of support. Phasha (2016: 4) argues that inclusive
education is the essence of Ubuntu – that we live in a delicate web of interconnectedness
and interdependence with each other: ‘I am because we are’ (Phasha 2016:4). Inclusive
pedagogy, like Ubuntu, has the potential to promote respect, cooperation and solidarity
among learners and teachers. In this way, all learners feel a sense of belonging and
acceptance.
Ubuntu in education is considered to be African cultural capitals that provide indigenous
knowledge which is actually important for integrating into our African conception of
inclusion which in turn promote inclusivity (Letseka 2013: 148). In other words, Ubuntu
pedagogy does not only encourage the development of all learners as individuals, but it
also promotes active collaboration between learners from diverse linguistic and cultural
backgrounds who bring different characteristics and learning needs into the classrooms.
In this way, Ubuntu pedagogy affirms diversity as an ordinary aspect of development.
Ubuntu pedagogy rejects exclusion, marginalisation and inequality in the teaching and
learning spaces (Phasha 2016:5).
The values of Ubuntu embrace principles of social justice (Broodryk 2005:128). Social
justice relates to principles of equality, equity and fairness towards members of a
community or individuals who have been previously marginalised, disadvantaged or
excluded economically, politically and socially based on their race, gender, social class,
language, religion, sexual preference and beliefs. Equally, where Ubuntu is recognised,
there is a respect for diversity in religion, race, gender, beliefs, sexual orientation and
language. Teachers practising within Ubuntu perspectives provide all learners,
irrespective of their cultural, linguistic, social class, religion and sexual orientations, with
equal opportunities to develop and to exercise their full capacities (Letseka 2013:335).
Where Ubuntu pedagogy and social justice exist in a classroom, all learners are treated
with dignity and respect regardless of their backgrounds. “The value of Ubuntu is to make
the relationship between learners and break down the barriers of diversity within the
classroom settings. These are also goals of social justice in education” (Broodryk 2005:
46). Ubuntu encompasses values of social justice and promotes relationships between
2|Page
