Decolonizing the Selection Criteria of Literature Novels in Secondary Schools and Universities in Zambia: A Decolonizing Approach

The chapter interrogates the selection criteria of Literature novels in secondary schools and universities in Zambia with respect to the extent and use of local novels. The chapter used a qualitative research design with a total of 40 participants which included Heads of the Department of Literature and Languages at the secondary school level, Heads of the Department of Literature and Languages at the university level, and students from both secondary schools and universities. While it is an expectation that the Literature syllabus included at the secondary and tertiary levels draw on authors within and outside Zambia, the study revealed that there was inequality in the selection of novels as both syllabi for secondary schools and universities, and that selections were dominated by foreign-authored novels. The study found very few novels authored by Zambian writers that found space in the institutions included in the secondary school syllabi and higher education in Zambia. The authors of this study recommend that novels authored by Zambians should be given priority in the selection process to enable learners to acquire indigenous knowledge based on Zambian culture and principles.