Decolonizing Students Mind Set to offer Transformative Service to the Nation and the Society at Large: A Case Study of Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia

Astridah Musonda¹, Chikwanda Trinity¹, Rosemary Mulenga¹ and Harrison Daka^2,

¹Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia

²The University of Zambia

Cite this paper:
Astridah Musonda, Chikwanda Trinity, Rosemary Mulenga and Harrison Daka. Decolonizing Students Mind Set to offer Transformative Service to the Nation and the Society at Large: A Case Study of Kwame Nkrumah University, Zambia. World Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities. 2023; 9(2):64-69. doi: 10.12691/wjssh-9-2-3

Abstract

One of the core principles of Kwame Nkrumah University (KNU) is training for transformation with a primary goal of decolonizing students mind set to offer transformative service to the nation and the society at large. This means decolonizing the thoughts, preferences and values that derive from a colonial way of thinking. A number of scholars have focused on the value of transformation with little regard on how far the curriculum can help decolonizing students’ mindset to offer transformative service to the nation and the society at large. This is the knowledge gap this study addressed. The objective of the study was to suggest strategies that can be employed to decolonize students mind set to offer transformative service to the nation and the society at Large. The study employed Case Study design. The study was guided by the transformative theory of leadership. The sample under the study consisted of 8 lecturers, 20 students, 3 Heads of departments, 1 Assistant Dean Postgraduate studies. Others included 1 Assistant Director postgraduate studies and a Registrar for ODL. Convenience sampling was used to select Kwame Nkrumah University. Purposive sampling technique was used to select lecturers. The Post-graduate students were selected using the quota sampling. The researchers used questionnaires with open-ended questions and semi- structured interview guide. Thematic analysis was used to analyse open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that an educator should be a role model to what is expected of a student. The curriculum needs for a paradigm shift to vocationalise our curriculum. The knowledge acquired by students should help the nation and the society at large to be critical thinkers, innovative and productive hence decolonization.

Keywords:
decolonization mind-set transformative service nation society

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