Ghana, the Gold Coast, encountered the Portuguese in AD 1482 and remained a European colony until 1957. Before the European incursion and the introduction of Western education, parents, relatives and community members taught children indigenous values, culture and skills through apprenticeship, observation, imitation and listening. The indigenous education was inclusive because it covered the teaching of economic and social skills including hunting, farming, sculpturing, manufacturing of implements, weaving, home making and the transmission of indigenous values of God fearing, patriotism, honesty, courtesy, moral uprightness, co-operation, love, patriotism, support and care for others. Every adult in the community was a parent, and educator to every young person. Ghanian values were transmitted through wise sayings, folklore, proverbs, and practical activities such as observation, imitation and listening. The respected and well-educated individual was one imbued with good character as espoused by indigenous values. The values constituted the unique Ghanaian heritage which were eclipsed or eroded by Western education. Children acquired Western values and way of life because they were educated outside their cultural practices. As a result of the exclusive nature of Western education, its products are self-centred and show disdain for their cultural heritage of love for one’s nation. They are either ignorant of the unique Ghanaian values or choose not to respect the cultural heritage of moral uprightness. Millions of Ghanaians enter public service full of greed, lack patriotism, honesty, curtesy, moral uprightness and love for the country hence they engage in self-aggrandizement at the expense of the country. Ethical behaviour no longer has space in Ghana and to reclaim the valuable cultural heritage of moral uprightness and to make education more inclusive, the country must transform its school curriculum. Therefore, Ghana needs to do a backward gaze to its indigenous cultural values to integrate them into the curriculum to inculcate in the future generation moral uprightness and patriotism. This book chapter emanated from the observation, experience and some unstructured interviews conducted by the author on the moral decay among the educated citizens, its effects on the future of the country and how to stem the tide through an inclusive curriculum.

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Sankofa: ‘Backward Gaze’ to Integrate Indigenous Values into School Curriculum for Inclusivity in Ghana

  • Kofi Poku Quan-Baffour

摘要

Ghana, the Gold Coast, encountered the Portuguese in AD 1482 and remained a European colony until 1957. Before the European incursion and the introduction of Western education, parents, relatives and community members taught children indigenous values, culture and skills through apprenticeship, observation, imitation and listening. The indigenous education was inclusive because it covered the teaching of economic and social skills including hunting, farming, sculpturing, manufacturing of implements, weaving, home making and the transmission of indigenous values of God fearing, patriotism, honesty, courtesy, moral uprightness, co-operation, love, patriotism, support and care for others. Every adult in the community was a parent, and educator to every young person. Ghanian values were transmitted through wise sayings, folklore, proverbs, and practical activities such as observation, imitation and listening. The respected and well-educated individual was one imbued with good character as espoused by indigenous values. The values constituted the unique Ghanaian heritage which were eclipsed or eroded by Western education. Children acquired Western values and way of life because they were educated outside their cultural practices. As a result of the exclusive nature of Western education, its products are self-centred and show disdain for their cultural heritage of love for one’s nation. They are either ignorant of the unique Ghanaian values or choose not to respect the cultural heritage of moral uprightness. Millions of Ghanaians enter public service full of greed, lack patriotism, honesty, curtesy, moral uprightness and love for the country hence they engage in self-aggrandizement at the expense of the country. Ethical behaviour no longer has space in Ghana and to reclaim the valuable cultural heritage of moral uprightness and to make education more inclusive, the country must transform its school curriculum. Therefore, Ghana needs to do a backward gaze to its indigenous cultural values to integrate them into the curriculum to inculcate in the future generation moral uprightness and patriotism. This book chapter emanated from the observation, experience and some unstructured interviews conducted by the author on the moral decay among the educated citizens, its effects on the future of the country and how to stem the tide through an inclusive curriculum.