Decolonizing Religious Education to Enhance Sustainable Development in Africa: Evidence from Literature

Abstract

Decolonizing knowledge is the process of questioning, changing and transforming imposed theories and interpretations brought about by colonial systems. In particular, decolonizing Religious Education involves challenging religious systems and structures imposed by colonial masters. During the colonial period, religion was used as a tool of 'racism', 'apartheid' ‘indoctrination’, ‘evangelisation’ and ‘exploitation’, yet it is a subject that acknowledges and respects the diversity of African beliefs and culture. By decolonizing the Religious Education curriculum, the subject is likely to become a powerful tool for promoting sustainable development in Africa. In this paper, I argue that decolonized Religious Education is likely to contribute to development in Africa in a variety of ways; resolving conflict and peacebuilding, management and conservation of natural resources, in addition to promoting appropriate religious beliefs and moral values. I conclude this paper by presenting a rationale for the inclusion of a multi-faith Religious Education curriculum in Kenya, while decolonizing Religious Education pedagogical approaches, in order to actualise Kenya's Vision 2030 and Big Four Agenda of the Jubilee Government