Chapter 7

Learningbydoinginsteadofwritinghasbeenaprominentprinciple
ineducationofmanyethnicgroupsfortrainingintellect,imparting
technicalskillsaswellasmoralvalues.

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ThemajorprincipleofAfricanindigenousknowledgesystemsisthatto
learnistoliveusefullyandhappywithonesfamily,withones
community,withonessociety,andwiththespiritsofonesancestors.

Education is expected to enable

African people to appreciate and
understand their history; way of
life and cultural identity; who they
are; where they come from; where
they are now; where they will be
tomorrow and how they will get
there.

Aims of African indigenous

knowledge systems:
Preservetheculturalheritageoftheextendedfamily,clan
andtribe.
Adaptmembersofthenewgenerationtotheirphysical
environmentandteachthemhowtocontrolanduseit.
Explaintothemthattheirownfuture,andthatoftheir
community,dependsontheunderstandingand
perpetuationoftheinstitution,laws,language,andvalues
inheritedfromthepast

Knowledgeis
impartedthrough
aphased
childhoodand
adolescenceand
encourages
childrentoengage
inparticipatory
educationthrough
ceremoniesand
rituals

Botswana
Indigenous
Knowledge
As Life Long
Learning

TheUseofProverbsProverbsisusedto
distinguishedbetweendeliberationsof
youngmenandwomanfromthoseof
wiseandknowledgeableadults.
WisdomWisdomisanimportant
epistemologicaltenet.Passing
knowledgedownfromgenerationshows
thepowerofwisdomintheAfrican
indigenousconstructionandacquisition.
TheUseofDreamsandVisionsA
uniqueformofformalinstructionin
traditionAfricaneducationisthatof
acquisitionofrevealedknowledge
throughtheprocessofdreamsand
visions.

African and Indigenous

Knowledge Today
Went through three periods
of Western Influence
Education depended on the

coloni er
Reconstructed African
Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous knowledge is
hard to conceptualize
because it builds on

experience