Inclusive education in marginalised contexts: The San and Ovahimba learners in Namibia
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
British Council
Abstract
One of Namibia’s outstanding sociocultural characteristics is the ethnic heterogeneity of its inhabitants, which stands at 25 distinct groups. The indigenous minority groups include the Kwe, Hai-dom, Joehansi and Khu groups, who are informally known as San communities, and the Himba, Zemba, and Ovatue, who among others 1 are part of the Ovahimba communities, which predominantly practice hunter-gathering and pastoral livestock farming. Historically, Namibia’s
education system was divided along racial lines, with Blacks classified in an order of importance where the San and Ovahimba people were in the lowest categories. In this apartheid system Whites and Coloureds received unending privileges at the expense of the indigenous Namibians, of which the Ovahimba and the San
communities were the worst affected. 2 When independence dawned in 1990, it signified political freedom long awaited by many. Since then the government has been dedicated to the process of educational transformation to bring about equitable access to quality education for all Namibians. This process included significant initiatives such as recognition of the San as an ‘educationally marginalised group’, emphasis on mother tongue education, use of satellite and
mobile schools for Ovahimba learners, and Namibia’s Sector Policy on Inclusive Education. This chapter will examine the policy measures that the Namibian government has put in place to create an inclusive education environment.
Description
Keywords
Inclusive education, Marginalised communities, San people, Ovahimba
Citation
Matengu, K., Likando, G., haihambo, C. (2019). Inclusive education in marginalised contexts: the San and Ovahimba learners in Namibia. In Susan Douglas (Ed.), Creating an inclusive school environment (pp. 197-208). British Council.