Addis Ababa, October 1, 2024 (FBC) – Knowledge is a garden, if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested, the FDRE President Sahle-Work Zewde stated in her call for the urgency of transforming knowledge for Africa’s future development.
The Ethiopian president made this remark on Monday at the opening of the International Forum of UNESCO Chairs and Partners which is convened by the African Union Commission and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The event is being held from 30th of September to 2nd of October 2024.
Organised by UNESCO under the patronage of President Sahle-Work Zewde, this meeting aims to strengthen interdisciplinary and collaborative research capacity in Africa, including through more inclusive and effective South-South and South-South-North research partnerships.
On the occasion, President Sahle-Work Zewde stressed the transformative power of knowledge and education for Africa where many countries in the continent are left behind in various spheres.
Despite major bottlenecks like conflict and poverty, the President underlined on immense opportunities of Africa to see a better future by transforming its education systems.
“We have indeed abundant possibilities and many are untapped. Knowledge is the key to unlocking them, not for a few to profit, but for all to thrive. We are a youthful continent,” Sahle-Work added.
To this effect, the African Union’s vision 2063 captures high aspirations that can change the narrative of where the continent is heading, she indicated.
Therefore, President Sahle-Work stressed the need for quickly responding to the new circumstances that are innovations and ideas through using wealth of talent and creativity.
“Challenges need to be overcome, not by small adjustments, technical packages or prescriptions from elsewhere. Rather, we require a fundamental change of approach that harnesses indigenous knowledge to the continent…..A meaningful solidarity with the world is also imperative,” she said.
Acknowledging challenges in Africa’s education system, the President revealed how knowledge has been previously employed against Africa with long lasting consequences.
For instance she mentioned: “Colonial education systems taught a version of history that minimized or ignored African perspectives. The systems always emphasize the supposed benefits of colonial rule and aim to undermine African self-esteem and identity. Around the world, we still suffer with the legacy of this misinformed narrative today.”
According to a report by local news agency ENA, the FDRE president noted that African cultures and social systems systematically misrepresented African societies as primitive and requiring a so called civilizing mission.
“This could not have occurred without disguising racism as scientific knowledge, pseudo-scientific theories promoting racial hierarchies were widely used to legitimize slavery, colonization and also racial segregation.”
Furthermore, knowledge has been weaponized to subjugate Africa’s social, economic, education and political systems.
Thus, Africa is in a critical juncture to change its education systems that will effectively promote knowledge transfer for the betterment of the continent.
We must move away from the transfer of knowledge that dominates from one place to another. Instead, we need a transformation of knowledge that empowers, indeed, everyone, she noted.
For her, the future of Africa cannot be imagined without directly addressing the wrong legacies that relate with knowledge.
“We must move away from the transfer of knowledge that dominates from one place to another. Instead, we need a transformation of knowledge that empowers, indeed, everyone,” she noted.
To realize this ambition in transformation of knowledge, the President stressed the need for reviving the principles of Pan-Africanism.
“Pan-Africanism has to be better defined and embraced by the new generation, because sometimes it seems to be really misused.”