Western-driven investment initiatives in African education are seldom conceived as sincerely addressing the continent's challenges, Associate Professor of Educational Administration and Policy Studies at the School of Education of the University of Zambia, Ferdinand Chipindi, told Sputnik Africa.
These initiatives are aimed to "keep Africa in the perpetual space of inferiority," he said.
"So African nations can [...] assert their control over their education agendas by being intentional about their priorities. Setting their national priorities right, defining and driving their own educational goals aligned with local needs and development objectives," the expert added.
According to Chipindi, African governments should prioritize education, as it "determines the character and longevity of a state." "You cannot build a nation outside of education," the expert highlighted.
"So the idea is to try to set the agenda, contextualize the curriculum, develop curriculum that reflect African histories, cultures, and context rather than relying on imported modules," he stressed.
Chipindi also highlighted that "the continent needs to decolonize aid, to rethink foreign aid."
According to Malijet media, in March, the prominent French educational institution, lycee "La Fontaine," shut down in Niamey, the capital of Niger. This closure was seen as a "historic" development for Niger, as it is poised to assume control of its own education system.