Decolonising Educational Leadership

Reclaiming Indigenous Epistemologies in Postcolonial African School Governance

Abstract

This article offers a critical literature-based interrogation of educational leadership in postcolonial Africa, revealing the enduring entrenchment of colonial structures in both thought and practice. While political independence has been achieved, the bureaucratic, hierarchical, and technocratic leadership models inherited from colonial administrations continue to shape educational governance, often in ways that are alien to indigenous African epistemologies, cultural values, and governance systems. Grounded in Decolonial Theory (Mignolo, 2011) and African Indigenous Epistemologies (Odora Hoppers, 2002), this study constructs a conceptual model that deconstructs the colonial core of educational leadership while proposing a transformative re-engagement with indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). Through a critical synthesis of literature, the paper addresses five key concerns: the persistence of colonial paradigms in school leadership; the systematic exclusion of IKS from leadership frameworks; the impact of linguistic alienation on authority and legitimacy; the structural barriers that resist epistemic pluralism; and the practical pathways for reclaiming African agency in leadership practice. It argues that decolonising educational leadership involves not only critiquing Eurocentric dominance but also restoring relational, spiritual, and communal approaches rooted in African traditions. The paper concluded by advocating for curriculum reform, policy transformation, linguistic justice, epistemic inclusion, and community participation as interconnected strategies for achieving decolonial leadership. By centring African values and knowledges, this study positions decolonised leadership as essential to educational relevance, cultural dignity, and epistemic justice in Africa’s schooling systems.