Perceptions of senior academics and postgraduate students on the decolonisation of university curriculum at a distance e-learning institution in South Africa

Abstract

The dominance of Western hegemony in higher education curricula has resulted in debates both locally and globally about possible means to redress the injustices associated with Eurocentric worldviews in higher education research, teaching and learning. The decolonisation agenda has thus become topical in postcolonial university contexts and other higher education institutions across the world, driven by lack of equity of access and success amongst most indigenous students and other marginalised students. Decolonisation debates have also influenced the attempts to decolonise university curricula in most postcolonial universities worldwide. Using literature review, document analysis, semi-structured individual telephonic interviews and an online qualitative questionnaire, this interpretive phenomenological qualitative intrinsic case study explored perceptions of senior academics and postgraduate students on the decolonisation of the university curriculum at an Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) institution in South Africa, the University of South Africa (UNISA). Derrick Bell’s interest convergence principle and Ladson-Billings and Tate’s critical race theory (CRT) of education were used as theoretical lenses to inform the study and frame the analysis. A purposeful, snowballing sample of sixteen senior academics and twelve postgraduate students was selected. A document analysis included UNISA’s key policy documents: Integrated Transformation Strategy; UNISA 2030 Strategy; Vision and Mission Statement; 2018 and 2019 Integrated Annual Report; 2016 Language Policy; ODeL Policy; and Student Funding Policy. The results revealed UNISA aimed at decolonising its curriculum through centring African epistemologies and other marginalised knowledges. The results further revealed that this has been partly achieved through the implementation of indigenous African languages to scaffold learning, drafting of policies to guide the decolonisation agenda, monitoring the implementation process, renaming university buildings and using technology to enhance equity and access. The results further revealed that postgraduate students are unaware of the decolonisation agenda which is implemented in this ODeL institution. The study recommends that indigenous official languages be used as media of instruction at a qualification level. It is further recommended that funds be availed for the successful implementation of decolonised curricula. Lastly, the institution should find creative ways of ensuring that its postgraduate students are aware of the transformation development.

Ukubusa kombuso waseNtshonalanga kukharikhulamu yemfundo ephakeme kuye kwaphetha ngokuba ezingxoxweni, endaweni kanye nasemhlabeni wonke, mayelana nezindlela ezingaba khona zokulungisa ukungabi nabulungisa okuhlobene nemibono yomhlaba yeYurosentrikhi ocwaningweni lwemfundo ephakeme, ukufundisa kanye nokufunda. Ngakho-ke i-ajenda yokuqeda ubukholoni ibe yisihloko ezimeni zamanyuvesi abhekelele okubhekana nokwenzeke ngemuva kobukholoni nakwezinye izikhungo zemfundo ephakeme emhlabeni wonke, iqhutshwa ukuntuleka kokufinyeleleka nempumelelo phakathi kwabafundi abaningi bomdabu kanye nabanye abafundi ababenganakiwe. Izimpikiswano zokuqeda ubukholoni nazo zibe nomthelela emizamweni yokuqeda izifundo zamanyuvesi emanyuvesi amaningi ayebhekene nokuqedwa kobukholoni obenzeke ngemuva emhlabeni jikelele. Lesi sifundo esichazayo ngokumangalisayo kocwaningo eliyikhwalithi lwezigameko zangaphakathi sisebenzise ukubuyekezwa kwezincwadi, ukuhlaziya okubhaliwe, izingxoxo zocingo ezihleliwe kanye nemibuzo eyingqayizivele nge – inthanethi ukuze kuhlolwe imibono yabafundi esigungwini esiphezulu nabafundi abaphothule izifundo ezithile ngokuqedwa kobukholoni kwekharikhulami zaseNyuvesi esikhungweni eNingizimu Afrika, eNyuvesi yaseNingizimu (UNISA). Isimiso sikaDerrick Bell sokuguqula kanye nethiyori yohlanga olubucayi kaLadson (CRT) yemfundo sasisetshenziswa njengama thiyori elenzi acatshangelwayo ukuze azise lokhu kuhlola futhi ahlele ukuhlaziya. Kwakhethwa isampula elinenjongo, eliyisinobholi lezazi eziyi - zabafundi abessezingeni eliphezulu nabafundi abayi - abphothule izifundo zabo. Ukuhlaziya umbhalo kwakuhlanganisa imibhalo eyinhloko yemigomo ye - UNISA: Isu Lokuguqula Elinganisiwe; Isu le-UNISA 2030; Isitatimende Sombono Nempokophelelo; 2018 noMbiko Yonyaka Odidiyelwe wonyaka wezi- 2019; Umgomo Wolimi wonyaka wezi-2016; Inqubo ye - ODel kanye Nomgomo Wokuxhasa Izimali Zabafundi. Imiphumela iveze obala ukuthi i-UNISA ihlose ukuqeda uhlelo lwayo lobukholoni lwezifundo ngokuhlanganisa ama – ephistemoloji ase - Afrika nolunye ulwazi olwabe lukhishelwe eceleni futhi lunganakiwe. Imiphumela ibuye yaveza ukuthi lokhu ngokwengxenye kuye kwafinyelelwa ngokusebenzisa izilimi zabomdabu zase - Afrika ukuze kuvezwe ukufunda okushaqisayo; izimiso zokuqoqa ukuze kuqondiswe izimiso zokuqoqa ukuze kwethule kwe ajenda yokuqedwa kobukholoni; ukuqapha inqubo yokusetshenziswa kokuthile; ukuqamba kabusha izakhiwo zaseyunivesithi nokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe ukuze kuthuthukise ukulingana nokukwazi ukungena lapho. Imiphumela ibuye yaveza nokuthi abafundi abaphothule izifundo ezithile abanalo ulwazi ngokuqedwa kodaba lobukholoni esetshenziswa kulenhlangano ye - ODeL. Ucwaningo Lolu cwaningo lutusa ukuba izilimi zabomdabu zisetshenziswe njengemithombo yezindaba yemfundo ngezinga lokulinganisa. Kubuye kutuswe ngokwengeziwe ukuba izimali zitholakalele ukusetshenzisweni kokuqedwa kwezifundo zobukholoni. Okokugcina, isikhungo kumele sithole izindlela ezinobuhlanani zokusungula izinto zokuqinisekisa ukuthi abafundi bayo abaphothule izifundo ezithile banalo ulwazi lokuthuthukiswa kwezinguquko.