Indigenous Knowledge System in Skill Development and Education

Categories: KnowledgeSkills

Introduction

Before you can explain/understand the term Indigenous Knowledge System, you have to first understand the term “Knowledge”. When we talk about Knowledge we mean something you have obtained or learned, experienced, understood or something you are aware of. Knowledge links with education, in education knowledge helps learners with critical thinking, problem solving skills and decision making. The essay uses the History of South Africa to show how indigenous knowledge took place and how this shaped people’s worldviews about education system.

According to Studley, (1998:5), indigenous knowledge is the knowledge that is acquired through past ages/ generation in a certain environment/ society or culture. Indigenous Knowledge System it is a complex knowledge that incorporate all aspects of life such as, spiritual relationship, relationship people, social, philosophical, economic and technology etc. IKS (Indigenous Knowledge System), is all about the beliefs and culture and past of one’s past experiences. The knowledge can be acquired through interacting with other people and learning from their worldviews perspectives or experiences.

Get quality help now
RhizMan
RhizMan
checked Verified writer

Proficient in: Knowledge

star star star star 4.9 (247)

“ Rhizman is absolutely amazing at what he does . I highly recommend him if you need an assignment done ”

avatar avatar avatar
+84 relevant experts are online
Hire writer

Since the IKS focuses on re-opening the important events/files that happened during brutality of colonization, whereby cultures, scientific and economic life of indigenous people were overpowered and crushed by colonies. This have an impact on people’s worldviews, Olthuis (1989:2) state that, worldview is a belief or a framework on how we see our worlds and this vision gives a direction to the meaning of life.

The essay argues that, the IKS mainly focus on putting forward a plan to rectify and bring back a rich human perspective that were developed over past generation.

Get to Know The Price Estimate For Your Paper
Topic
Number of pages
Email Invalid email

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

"You must agree to out terms of services and privacy policy"
Write my paper

You won’t be charged yet!

This lead to the process that is called “Afrocentricity” (the study of world history of African people), which allows indigenous pupil to question their historical experiences (Seepe. 2001). As the IKS correlates with the Afrocentricity, the essay links the concept with the History of South Africa (the content knowledge of History subject). As it is known that history is about studying the past especially, people, events, societies that wants us to understand them. The essay uses the Historical Event Apartheid as an example on how IKS was acquired, as they were different beliefs, culture and way of life between two races, whereby white regarded themselves as superior and regard blacks as inferior.

IKS was learned through the system of Bantu Education, whereby this system limited the mind set of blacks to think they will always be regarded as the inferior. History helps on providing information about Bantu Education, whereby blacks were only allowed to study to certain grades and they were not allowed to work in higher places. This shaped the mentality of most blacks, they grew with mentality of being inferior and that belief passed to the next generation. However, that changed when time goes on as the current Education System helps everyone to view their worldviews in different ways due to experiences they encountered. History helped learners to know more about our history as South Africans, experiences and challenges that past generation faced.

Conclusion

IKS play a critical role in ensuring that people reflect from the past and try to change on how we see the world right now. IKS and History provide us with the sense of identity and ensure that we understand where we come from and understand our true self. Indigenous Knowledge does not only transform knowledge-generate but it also makes knowledge formation process accessible. The essay used History subject to show how the knowledge, beliefs and culture pass from generation to generation. History subject showed we as South Africans come from and how Apartheid shaped many people’s worldviews about education system.

Updated: Feb 02, 2024
Cite this page

Indigenous Knowledge System in Skill Development and Education. (2024, Feb 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/indigenous-knowledge-system-in-skill-development-and-education-essay

Live chat  with support 24/7

👋 Hi! I’m your smart assistant Amy!

Don’t know where to start? Type your requirements and I’ll connect you to an academic expert within 3 minutes.

get help with your assignment