Decolonisation and Democratisation in Namibian Teacher Education

Building on the 1999 work of Kenneth Zeichner and Lars Dahlström, this timely volume provides first-hand accounts as well as both empirical and theoretical case studies on how teacher education is being operationalized in postcolonial Namibia, working to decolonise and democratise the Namibian educational system at all levels.

Chapters are comprehensive in approach, offering accounts of decolonisation and democratisation of teacher education during the period immediately after the country’s political independence from apartheid South Africa; contemporary issues of quality in terms of curriculum, pedagogy and epistemology; and how to cultivate sustainable and lasting resilience to mitigate further disruptive events such as the pandemic. Ultimately recognising Namibia’s role as an exemplar for other postcolonial countries, given its status as a stable postcolonial democracy, the book provides a blueprint for how to develop education policy and curriculum for a truly equitable education system.

The book will appeal to scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students in the fields of teacher education, education and development, and African education studies more generally. Policy makers and curriculum designers may also find the volume of use. The book will have particular appeal in Namibia and South Africa, but also across the global South and amongst other postcolonial countries.