International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186
Indigenous Education Against Gender Equality in Cameroon
Ngwabienwu John Tumbuh (Phd)
University of Bamenda, Faculty of Education
Department of foundations of Education
Abstract : Indigenous education is not a feature, common only in Cameroon, but in other African countries and across the world. Indigenous knowledge is passed on from one generation to the other both in formal and informal setting. In communities in Cameroon, gender inequality is the order of the day. The characteristics of indigenous education, varied from one community to the other. Traditional societies and their traditional practices are eminent in determining and respecting the rights of all. Some of these practices discriminate against women and girls, one sex superior and another inferior within the same community. The question here is, why can gender equality not be achieved in the trans-generational transmission of knowledge? In this article, some reasons why it is difficult to achieve gender equality are advanced, recommendations are also made on recognizing women, men, girls and boys as agent of development and narrowing the gender gaps existing.
Key Words: trans generational, indigenous knowledge, indigenous education, traditional practices, gender inequality.
I.INTRODUCTION
Contrary views exist on what constitute, and reflect indigenous education in Cameroon. Indigenous people maintain and perpetrate inequality in the society among women and men, girls and boys. Indigenous education with the transmission of knowledge from the old generation to the younger generations, the practice of gender inequality is based on the fact that, indigenous education being characterized, as community oriented geared toward solving the problems of the communities. The instructional activities were directed thus, toward the social life of the community so as to prepare the learners, to fit appropriately into the Kenyatta (1961, in Mushi 2009) holds that, “ it was taught in relation to concrete situation. The boys and girls learn about birds that were harmful, how they could be controlled, and what birds could be eaten, in the same way, they learnt about trees that were good for firewood, building or for propping crops like banana and yams as well as those which resisted ants.” It was also characterized as being illiterate, it put emphasis on practical learning, with learning by doing, it was functional, the knowledge, skills, values that were imparted were relevant to the socio-economic activities of an individual who were earmarked for various community roles and these roles were what is termed today as gender roles. Indigenous education had some compulsory subjects like religion, fighting, law, history, agriculture and animal husbandry.