5 minute read
What is international education in Africa?
Proserpina Dhlamini-Fisher explores challenges and opportunities
Since going back to full time consultancy work, I have found more time to reflect on my thoughts on international education, and the fact that the world we are living in today is as it is because of our past history, making it possible to compare where we are in Africa and in education with the rest of the world. I give myself real time to read and research, looking for developments, challenges and outcomes. Part of this work is with schools, organizations and governments to add value to educational development in Africa.
Africa as a continent is one of the fastest growing economies today, yet according to the World Literacy Map of 2020 we still have one of the highest rates of illiteracy in the world (acknowledging that there are always several variables that contribute to such figures). These figures do not mean that the continent is stagnant in its growth and development, but rather that based on whatever criteria UNESCO or other international bodies choose to use, the continent is still lagging behind. This brings me back to international education: is it really what is needed to lift Africans, or do we need to come together and create educational curricula that will empower our African children to be curious and proud learners? I am working with companies that are wanting this in some African countries, where schools are being created to meet the needs of the local population and are wanting to offer curricula that look both inward and outward. It makes me proud to know that all is definitely not gloom and doom, as is perceived by so many people about Africa.
African economies are growing, and many people are realising that to be able to live in the 21st century we need to be innovative and creative, think like an entrepreneur to survive, and think out of the box. We have all kinds of schools across the African continent, from state to private and international. Each country has its own requirements and compliance laws for these schools. There must be some sort of international school in almost every country on the continent. But my question is: What is an international school in Africa? Is it a school which offers a curriculum that promotes an international outlook across all subjects? Do teachers go out of their way to teach students to think beyond their own borders whilst celebrating who they are and where they come from? Is it a school where teachers guide students to be curious, empathetic leaders, changemakers and problem solvers, where teachers facilitate opportunities for students to see themselves as global citizens capable of surviving anywhere in our world? Do our international school leaders in Africa create opportunities for the whole international school community to embrace diversity, and to learn with and from the local culture? Is that not what international means – existing between nations?
This has led me to explore the notion of international education further, only to find that there is no one solid definition, but rather a collection of definitions to suit different purposes at different times. My feeling is that because we as educators have not defined international education as something we all agree on, we find ourselves with a scattering of schools across the continent, all claiming to be international schools offering an international education to local and international students.
But when we dig deep into our existing so-called international schools on the African continent, this is not what we always see. A few of them exclude local students, so should really be called foreign – and not international – schools, or have school fees that are unattainable for normal folks who earn in local currencies. Many a time they are not international, but rather teach curricula from another country such as the US, England, France, Germany or other national contexts, and add the word international to their name: a leftover legacy from past colonial history. I salute the International Baccalaureate for continuing to work on its programs to create a more inclusive learning experience for students across the world, but we all know that the founding fathers of the IB were westerners and quality international school standards and practices are still measured in those terms. I am not claiming this is necessarily a problem, but am exploring ways to find a balance and a sense of appreciation and pride for all students and teachers in these schools in Africa.
I continue to wonder what international education really is, and if it is indeed adding value to the typical child in our continent. I went through international education myself as a child and, if I am honest, I experienced phases of being lost, not quite comfortable in my own skin, and was forgiven for my endless social faux pas but not embraced fully in the other world I inhabited.
Some African parents still aspire to send their children to international schools because they want an ‘international’ education that will open doors for their children to universities worldwide, forgetting that we can actually create those excellent schools and universities that help our African children learn their histories, make connections to the present and kindle an interest in the world, while remaining grounded and proud of who they are and where they come from. Thanks are due to the African Leadership Academy and universities, institutions that embrace African pride and have created curricula that empower students to get the best of both worlds while creating the desire to make a difference and contribute to the development and upliftment of people in Africa.
I am proud to be an international educator and thrilled that I am somehow able to contribute to the international educational space, especially on the African continent. I close by asking if international schools could be doing more to be inclusive, sharing resources and learning about the local history and culture – and not only on international day?
