Education and cultural hybridity: what cultural values should be imparted to students in Kenya?

Abstract

This paper discusses what cultural values should be imparted to Kenyan students in the post‐colonial era. Traditionalists had argued that an education based on Western culture, i.e. colonial culture, was the root cause of the present social and political problems, and therefore it should be de‐emphasised. Such an argument, however, is criticised by post‐modern scholars who embrace the concept of cultural hybridity. The criticism is validated by a case study presented here, which showed the observed attitudes of Kenyan students. This paper therefore suggests that the concept of cultural hybridity should be accepted in school, as it may contribute to the formation of a stable democratic society.