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This paper evaluates the societal impact of the Ubuntu Project, one of three 2024 Societal Impact Projects implemented by the University of Venda (UNIVEN) in rural Limpopo Province, South Africa, alongside Skills for the Future (SfFP) and Phasing Out of Accounting. Centered on the Ubuntu Project, this project review examines its role in addressing community needs through collaborative engagement with stakeholders in the Vhembe and Mopani Districts. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with beneficiaries and stakeholders, complemented by quantitative surveys with 126 respondents, which were analysed using Thematic Analysis and SPSS software. Findings demonstrate the Ubuntu Project’s success in promoting Ubuntu principles of humanity, interconnectedness, and mutual support, enhancing social cohesion, reducing social isolation, and fostering positive behavioural changes, including decreased crime, teenage pregnancies, and substance abuse in participating villages. Commendations highlight robust community participation and intergenerational learning, though challenges such as limited funding, inconsistent oversight, and incomplete documentation of data were noted. Recommendations include securing sustainable funding, improving monitoring systems, and expanding stakeholder inclusivity. This evaluation underscores the Ubuntu Project’s potential as a culturally resonant university-community initiative, offering a model for societal transformation in rural contexts.

This paper examines the need to decolonise entrepreneurship education in South Africa by addressing epistemic inequalities and aligning curricula with local socio-economic realities. Grounded in decolonial and human capital theories, the study critiques existing programmes that are dominated by Western pedagogies privileging individualism and profit maximization. A literature review shows that current curricula inadequately reflect indigenous knowledge, community-oriented practices, and the informal economy, which remains a crucial site for livelihoods and economic participation. Three key gaps are identified: an overreliance on Eurocentric content, weak contextual relevance to South Africa’s socio-economic challenges, and the exclusion of indigenous and community-driven approaches. These shortcomings limit the curriculum’s capacity to prepare students to address pressing issues such as unemployment, inequality, and informality. The study argues for a decolonised curriculum that integrates African epistemologies, emphasizes social and community entrepreneurship, and produces graduates capable of contributing to inclusive and sustainable development. This study adopts a conceptual and integrative literature-based approach to examine the decolonisation of entrepreneurship education in South Africa. Drawing on peer-reviewed journal articles, policy documents, doctoral studies, and prior empirical research conducted within South African higher education contexts, the paper synthesises existing scholarship to identify structural gaps, epistemic exclusions, and contextual misalignments within entrepreneurship curricula. Rather than presenting new primary empirical data, the study draws on illustrative insights from established South African studies to support conceptual arguments. This approach is appropriate given the paper’s aim to advance theoretical clarity, curricular reflection, and contextually grounded recommendations for entrepreneurship education reform.

There has been a global recognition of the importance of the Ubuntu philosophy to decolonizing education in Africa and beyond. This recognition is a result of the usefulness of Ubuntu in decolonizing education and addressing the critical areas of value orientation among indigenous people, particularly in Africa. The call for integrating the principles of Ubuntu into the curriculum will facilitate behavioral modification and embed indigenous values and spirituality into the education system in Africa. However, this study aims to investigate the extent of research conducted on Ubuntu philosophy and the Decolonization of Education in Africa. The researchers performed a bibliometric analysis using Biblioshiny, a component of the bibliometric package in RStudio designed for text mining analysis, to collect data from the WoS database, the largest database. Data selection followed certain criteria, including that articles must be peer-reviewed, published between 2010 and 2024, and in English. The authors used the PRISMA flow model for data collection, which was analyzed with the RStudio statistical package to identify the most cited institutions and countries, production trends, and the most productive country. Results show South Africa as the most productive and cited country on Ubuntu philosophy and Decolonization. The findings also indicate the majority of the productions are single-country collaborations. The review also reveals authors like Metz (2010), Gade (2012), Letseka (2012), and Le Grange (2012) as the most influential authors emphasizing integration of Ubuntu philosophy in education theory and practice.

The Indigenous knowledge continues to play a vital role in the lives of Indigenous communities; however, much of the knowledge is at risk of becoming extinct. This is due to the oral nature of the knowledge.  With consideration for the safeguarding of the knowledge, digital content creation is a valuable tool for promoting indigenous knowledge. This raises the question: How can digital content creation be utilised as a tool to safeguard and promote indigenous knowledge? Thus, this paper explores the latter. The paper presents qualitative data generated from secondary sources between 2015 and 2025, utilising the Directory of Open Access Journals, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar as search engines. The generated data was analysed using key themes emerging from the Qualitative Document Analysis (QDA). The findings show that digital content creation enables Indigenous communities to sustainably safeguard Indigenous knowledge while allowing easier access to the knowledge in the upcoming generations. The findings further show that the use of the use of digital content creation has not been a smooth process; therefore, bias, misrepresentation, digital divide, and intellectual property rights have emerged as the key considerations for safeguarding and promoting IK. Therefore, this paper concludes that digital content creation plays a vital role in reviving, preserving, and promoting the IK; therefore, these contestations may need to be mitigated for sustainable safeguarding of the IK.

This paper aims to examine the effects of innovative teaching strategies that incorporate learners lived experiences into the implementation of the South African Life Skills curriculum. It also aims to evaluate how current pedagogical approaches align with or diverge from learner-centred methodologies that value indigenous knowledge systems. Employing a qualitative research design grounded in the interpretive paradigm, we conducted semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 23 purposively selected Life Skills educators from primary schools. These participants were chosen based on their extensive experience in teaching the subject. The collected narratives were analysed thematically through post-colonial and Afrocentric theoretical lenses to reveal underlying pedagogical trends and epistemological biases. Findings from the study demonstrate that (i) despite the transformative goals of the Life Skills curriculum, many educators still rely on teacher-centred, Eurocentric methods; (ii) such approaches marginalise the learners’ socio-cultural backgrounds and exclude their indigenous knowledge from classroom discourse; and (iii) there is a significant gap between curriculum intentions and instructional practices, which hampers effective learner engagement and inclusivity. The study recommends a shift towards learner-centred pedagogies that recognise and integrate home-brewed knowledge systems and cultural experiences as legitimate and valuable. Such an approach not only fosters inclusivity and relevance but also enhances learners’ identity formation and critical thinking. These findings contribute to ongoing debates about decolonising education in South Africa and provide practical guidance for curriculum designers, teacher educators, and policymakers.

This article explores the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into entrepreneurship education in South Africa, advocating for a culturally responsive and inclusive approach. Drawing from historical, socio-political, and pedagogical perspectives, the study critiques the dominance of Western knowledge systems in formal education and the resulting marginalisation of IKS. It argues that embedding indigenous perspectives in entrepreneurship curricula can enhance relevance, foster innovation, and support sustainable development, particularly in rural communities. Through a literature-based, qualitative review complemented by stakeholder input including students, educators, and policy actors the research identifies the benefits and challenges of incorporating IKS into entrepreneurship education. These include improved creativity, community engagement, and a stronger connection between academic theory and local entrepreneurial practice. Key findings highlight strategies such as guest lectures, knowledge-sharing platforms, and collaboration with science parks to support IKS-driven entrepreneurship. The study recommends curriculum reform, educator training, and institutional policies that validate IKS as a valuable entrepreneurial asset. Ultimately, integrating IKS offers a pathway to decolonize higher education, empower indigenous learners, and build inclusive, contextually grounded entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The movement to decolonize education in Africa has gained significant momentum as scholars, policymakers, and communities critically assess the legacy of colonial education systems. This research explores the imperative for curriculum reform, the re-evaluation of language policy, and the integration of indigenous knowledge systems as key strategies for advancing decolonization. The paper investigates how colonial epistemologies persist within educational structures, hindering efforts to cultivate culturally relevant and locally grounded pedagogies. By analyzing the implications of current policies and practices in various African countries, the study sheds light on the tensions and opportunities in transforming educational content and delivery. The research draws on qualitative data from case studies, policy documents, and academic literature to assess the readiness of African institutions to embrace a decolonized framework. Emphasis is placed on the significance of language as a vehicle of cultural identity and the crucial role of community knowledge holders in shaping curricula. Furthermore, the study considers how early childhood, primary, and higher education systems can benefit from inclusive and pluralistic approaches that validate African worldviews. The findings illustrate that while there are ongoing challenges, such as institutional resistance and resource limitations, there are also promising initiatives that reflect a commitment to epistemic justice. Ultimately, this paper proposes a strategic, context-sensitive approach to decolonizing education that acknowledges historical injustices while laying the foundation for a more equitable and empowering learning environment across the continent.

The proverb, Tsiwana i laiwa ndilani”, was used in Vhavenda speaking communities to encourage children to be attentive and receptive to guidance and advice from anyone offering moral and ethical values. This paper aims is to explore how Vhaven?a people used the proverb Tsiwana i laiwa n?ilani. The reason of implementing it was to promote collective responsibilities of raising children with a set of values and manners desirable to society. A qualitative narrative inquiry was used, and data was collected through semi-structured interview. All Vhavenda speaking elders participated in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select six Vhavenda speaking elders who are knowledgeable with the use of the proverb. Data were merged into relevant themes using thematic analysis and coding also applied. This study was grounded by Symbolic Interactionism with Mead Theory as its theoretical framework. The proverb Tsiwana i laiwa n?ilani was the launching proverb for elders to express themselves about instilling norms and values in young children. Main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) a proverb Tsiwana i laiwa n?ilani is an idiom, (ii) it takes a village to raise an African child and finally a child is not an orphan per se. The study recommended that any adults who come across a misbehaving child, should feel free to instil guidance and advice as a way of promoting the cultural norms and values amongst the Vhavenda youth. It is also recommended that the programme to revive ndayo was suggested which encourages a collaborative effort between families, communities, schools, churches, and relevant government departments.

The debates over the decolonisation of higher education in South Africa have resulted in differing perspectives on epistemologies and pedagogical techniques. While discussions rage about the conceptualisation and methods of decolonising higher education, as well as the practical efficiency of applying nuanced epistemologies, students continue to face racism, discrimination, and exclusion in higher education institutions. In its broadest sense, the foundation for the conversation on inclusion is founded on the elephant in the room, apartheid, which has been an Achilles heel in the change of South Africa's educational landscape. The apartheid curriculum, in all of its stages, largely prepared workers for low-wage, exploitative work. It showed little concern for emphasising Afrocentric foundations that expanded Black communities' cultural and traditional value systems. Bantu education's harsh social engineering prowess attempted to sidestep African philosophical frameworks (Ubuntu), which are crucial for motivating pupils' confidence, consciousness, and self-actualization. Against this backdrop, this study views decolonisation as a chance to include African languages, value systems, histories, customs, beliefs, cultures, and experiences in higher education.  This paper argues that the abstract inclusion of African languages devoid of intrinsic depth and essence is a patronising exercise purposed to vaguely position African languages alongside English and Afrikaans; doing so prohibits a deeper humanistic appreciation and knowledge of African traditions and indigenous systems. This paper emphasizes the crucial role of African languages and indigenous knowledge systems in addressing racism and inequality, and encourages their gradual and benign incorporation into higher education curricula.

Ulwaluko or Traditional Male Circumcision is an old African practice that has survived years of criticism and attenuation of Western civilization through religion and education. With the growing Western influence on the continent, there is mounting questioning of the virtues of ulwaluko in some circles even amongst Africans themselves. Proponents of ulwaluko see the ritual as a potent tool for leadership development amongst young men. By adopting a qualitative research design, the authors collected data by interviewing young men who recently performed the ritual. Adopting a phenomenological approach helped the author understand the lived experiences of the target group.  The researcher found that over time, there have been influences that sought to weaken and derail the intended objectives of ulwaluko. The researcher also found that leadership development has always been and continues to be integral to the ritual. The recommendations from the study are that the custodians of African cultural beliefs, customs, and values should reclaim their scope of influence and dominance on cultural practices. Greater awareness also needs to be created of the virtues of ulwaluko particularly amongst the younger generations. The author concludes that ulwaluko still plays a pivotal and prominent role in leadership development amongst young African males and that its benefits cannot be undermined.  

The study seeks to explore the interrelatedness around the naming of children in the traditional societies of Southern Africa. Traditionally, among the Vhavenda, Vatsonga, Bapedi, Xhosa, Zulu, Swati and other various African cultures in Southern Africa, it was the duty of the grandparents to name their grandchildren. The naming was largely influenced by the events which occurred in the family. The study was conducted first to establish the interrelatedness in the naming of children among the multicultural context of traditional societies of Southern Africa, secondly to determine whether the naming has implications to the behaviour and character of the child while they grow. Senior citizens who are knowledgeable were interviewed on what were considered in the naming process and what are the cultural values that are attached to this process. Data was collected using semi structured interviews and analysed thematically. Afrocentric theory was utilised as the basis for the research findings.  The research findings were of paramount importance around some of the individual names among different cultures and the implications of the behaviour of a child when he grows. The paper recommends the reimagining of the spirituality around some individuals names and the naming process, the revival of the traditional naming process is meant for cultural heritage preservation.

The main goal of this work is to reposition the concept of xenophobia in the African context. This is to reflect on Thabo Mbeki’s narrative on Xenophobia. Africa continues to remain a pawn due to the Eurocentric ideas that have been forced on the Africans also brought about a foreign concept of xenophobia as if Africans are not brothers in the name of brotherhood. It is incontestable that brothers are, in some cases engage in fight, but there was a laid down rules and norms of resolving such misunderstanding. With the employment of qualitative research methods, complex interdependence theory garnished with Anglo-American conspiracy theory; we argue that, Anglo-American imperialist managed to spread and enforce the usage of English through imposing the concept xenophobia in the continent while failing to capture the essence of sibling fights or fights amongst African brothers and sisters conceptualised by the Batswana speaking people as maragana teng a bana motho. Through acknowledging Mbeki’s narrative and some sampled African languages, we argue that, while there is a word for foreigner in these sampled African languages, there is no direct or indirect translation of xenophobia in African languages. We conclude that the concept xenophobia has its etymological foundations in Greek and is therefore foreign in any of the African and South African indigenous languages.

This paper aimed to conserve and digitise indigenous games, making them accessible online, in order to harmonise cultural traditions with modernity. The majority of contemporary youth are exposed to Western entertainment that contradicts African values and traditions. Certain games have had a detrimental impact on society, leading young people to engage in acts of violence, sexual promiscuity, and even self-harm. African youth in pre-colonial times acquired moral principles through instruction from communal elders, who imparted these lessons through the use of moral games. This study contends that the process of digitization can be employed in conjunction with conventional means of knowledge dissemination and conservation to address the void in a societal context where cultural customs are diminishing. The significance of elders, relationships, and the corpus remains paramount. The study aimed to find an Afro-centric approach to digitise traditional games for educational entertainment. The study centred on the Sankofa and Diffusion of Innovation theories. The study employed qualitative case study research methodology to achieve its objective. Information was collected through a document survey. The data underwent thematic analysis. The paper investigated decolonial approaches to safeguard games via social media, applications, and websites. The study concluded that qualitative methodologies are necessary for determining the optimal and economically efficient technologies. Additionally, it emphasised that decolonization necessitates the establishment of alternative knowledge systems to challenge the dominance of Western and Eurocentric epistemology.

Curriculum transformation in South African universities strives to revive disadvantaged communities to change existing Eurocentric and Westernized curriculums to be Afrocentric.  However, there are debates on whether there should be the adoption of fully Africanized curriculums or infusing African values into the Eurocentric epistemologies. The study sought to bring out the roles of entrepreneurial skills in curriculum transformation in one university in the Eastern Cape. The study adopted a qualitative approach, where university students and lecturers were the key informants. To collect data interviews were used where the interview schedule is attached. It was found that universities are challenged by organizational culture, lack of resources, the existence of colonial systems, and a colonial-caged mentality. The paper illustrated that decolonizing curriculums is useful in resource-constrained institutions if resources are pumped in and if the curriculum transformation works in an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Therefore, the university should invest more resources into the curriculum transformation and African and European epistemology should be fused to come up with strong and vibrant knowledge that will positively change societies. Additionally, for a university entrepreneurship ecosystem, there should be staff empowerment on entrepreneurship education in the curriculum across disciplines. 

African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS) are values that were passed among African generations by word of mouth. Despite the Fourth Industrial Revolution's (4IR) facilitation of rapid communication for every aspect of society, many Africans have not embraced it to store AIKS, mainly due to concerns over biases and prejudices embedded in aspects like information and communication technologies (ICTs). Using decoloniality theory, this paper aims to show the importance of AIKS, which faces extinction due to the combined effects of the deaths of members of the old generation and acculturation. In the methodology section, Afrocentricity, which celebrates rootedness in African culture and history, was used together with storytelling as a means to examine the perceptions of Afrocentric scholars as revealed in their folktale works that were analyzed qualitatively. Results revealed that lack of exposure to ICTs is one of the main reasons for the scant AIKS virtual literature. Many African people do not have access to other needs like food, education, clothing, electricity, and shelter, which effectively renders ICTs ‘secondary, yet access to information and participation are fundamental rights. We urge stakeholders to implement policies that promote the preservation of AIKS in electronic repositories. Memory devices and other ICT accessories should be responsive to African cultures. Investment in ICT infrastructure and training, reliable electricity, and addressing all the basics are critical.

From scholarly research, Africa's position on the planet and historical constituents especially minerals expropriation and labour made the continent a strategic partner to most world powers. This was understood during the voyages of the Dutch Indian Company to India.  Even during the Cold War, powerful countries were eager to promote multilateral relationships with some countries in Africa and that strongly impacted the war as well as African politics. This practice did not end with the Cold War but continued and presently Africa is still being influenced by the Cold War proceeds. Through a qualitative method of research, the paper highlights the impact of the cold war and ideology its time on African philosophy as well as the shift in African political dynamics. Hence, the paper investigated how these relationships affected African thought and destabilized Africa as a habitat for culture and African norms especially in the midst of the Ukraine-Russian war. Ukraine-Russian war is of paramount importance in revealing how African states maintain their non-alignment stance on either side while being careful to preserve their long rich history with the former Soviet Union. The further paper noted the advantages or disadvantages that the erstwhile Cold War brought to the African worldview. This culminated in the obliteration of culture and other notions like ubuntu which are the cornerstone of Africanism. The paper concludes by bringing out a strategy that can be utilized to restore African thought post-Cold War era.

School curriculum in post-colonial societies has been castigated, not only as alien and irrelevant, but as dehumanizing and marginalizing to the indigenous people. This study gleans insights into how Ubuntu (humanness) – a strand of indigenous African knowledge - is being implemented in Zimbabwe’s New Curriculum Framework 2015-2022. This qualitative desktop study, couched within the Southern Theory framework, teases the enactment of Ubuntu (or lack of it) in classroom practice. Critical discourse analysis was adopted as the research design in reviewing 15 studies published between 2016 and 2021 on the implementation of Ubuntu in Zimbabwean primary and secondary schools. Findings indicate that, while Ubuntu is espoused as the overarching reform philosophy, not much has been done to nurture classroom practice that promotes collective participation, communitarianism, humility, and love for humanity – the key principles of Ubuntu. This critical discourse shows that most teachers, because of their training, limited knowledge, urbanization and westernization, are not keen to practice Ubuntu in their classrooms. Paltry salaries and poor working conditions also demotivate most teachers from embracing curriculum change and experimenting with new ideas.