Africanizing the SDGs: A key factor for enhancing sustainability consciousness within South African universities
Vol 8, Issue 9, 2024
VIEWS - 145 (Abstract) 62 (PDF)
Abstract
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be viewed as the aftermath of the Millennial Development Goals (MDGs). This is due to the fact that the seventeen (17) SDGs are designed to continue the work expected to have been done by the MDGs. In other words, the failure of the MDGs to eradicate poverty birthed the SDGs. However, the SDGs seem not to be achieving the desired result. This has led to the projection for the need for a decade of action. In the African context, the questions of why the MDGs failed and the SDGs tend to be failing are yet to be asked. By projection, if the questions are not asked and answers are not provided, the projection of the decade of action may also fail. Hence, the reason for this conceptual paper which was targeted at exploring the possibility of considering the Africanization of the SDGs as remedy to ensuring sustainable development in the African continent. Different relevant sources were identified, reviewed and analysed. The findings from the reviewed and analysed sources showed among others that for Africanization of the SDGs to be a reality and practicable, glocalization must be embraced. Meanwhile, there will be need to question the use of Eurocentric curricula in African institutions of learning.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Aarnseth, E. (2013). Possible correlation between Sustainability, Well-being and Traditional African Values: Wellbeing factors among citizens in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa [Bachelor’s thesis]. Karlstads Universitet.
Ahmed, A., & Anifowose, M. (2024). Corruption, corporate governance, and sustainable development goals in Africa. Corporate Governance, 24(1), 119–138. https://doi.org/10.1108/cg-07-2022-0311
Atalla, G., Mills, M., & McQueen, J. (13). Six ways that governments can drive the green transition. Available online: https://www.ey.com/en_gl/government-public-sector/six-ways-that-governments-can-drive-the-green-transition (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Bazie, P., Thiombiano, N., & Maiga, E. W. H. (2023). Fighting Corruption in Developing Countries to Meet the Challenge of Human Capital Development: Evidence from Sub-Saharan African Countries. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01330-9
Diop, M., Li, Y., & Yong, L. (30). Africa Still Poised to Become the Next Great Investment Destination. Available online: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/opinion/2015/06/30/africa-still-poised-to-become-the-next-great-investment-destination (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Djordjevic, A., & Cotton, D. R. E. (2011). Communicating the sustainability message in higher education institutions. Int. J. Sustain. High. Educ., 12(4), 381–394. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676371111168296
Du Plessis, P. (2021). Decolonisation of education in South Africa: challenges to decolonise the university curriculum. South African Journal of Higher Education, 35(1), 54–69. https://doi.org/10.20853/35-1-4426
Fabrizio, S., Garcia-Verdu, R., Pattillo, C., et al. (2015). International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Discussion Notes (SDNs): From Ambition to Execution: Policies in Support of Sustainable Development Goals. Available online: https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2015/sdn1518.pdf (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Frandy, T. (17). Indigenizing Sustainabilities, Sustaining Indigeneities: Decolonization, Sustainability, and Education. Indigenizing Sustainabilities, Sustaining Indigeneities: Decolonization, Sustainability, and Education. Journal of Sustainability Education, 18, 1–8.
Glass, L. M., & Newig, J. (2019). Governance for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: How important are participation, policy coherence, reflexivity, adaptation and democratic institutions? Earth System Governance, 2, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esg.2019.100031
Goffman, E. (2020). In the wake of COVID-19, is glocalization our sustainability future? Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 16(1), 48–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2020.1765678
Govender, L., & Naidoo, D. (2023). Decolonial insights for transforming the higher education curriculum in South Africa. Curriculum Perspectives, 43(Suppl 1), S59–S71. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41297-023-00200-3
Hlatshwayo, M. N., & Alexander, I. (2021). We’ve been taught to understand that we don’t have anything to contribute towards knowledge: Exploring academics’ understanding of decolonising curricula in higher education. Journal of Education (University of KwaZulu-Natal), (82), 44–59. https://doi.org/10.17159/2520-9868/i82a03
Hudson, A., & Vodden, K. (2020). Decolonizing Pathways to Sustainability: Lessons Learned from Three Inuit Communities in NunatuKavut, Canada. Sustainability, 12(11), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114419
Hungwe, J. P., & Mkhize, T. R. (2022). The Africanisation of universities in Africa: Reclamation of humanity and rationality. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning, 10(1), 136–152. https://doi.org/10.14426/cristal.v10i1.487
Koma, S. B. (2018). The African Renaissance and the impetus for transforming higher education. African Journal of Public Affairs, 10(2), 97–108.
Lazaro, P. (2020). Sustainability cannot be achieved without indigenous leadership. Available online: https://plantwithpurpose.org/indigenousleadership/ (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Letsekha, T. (2013). Revisiting the debate on the Africanisation of higher education: an appeal for a conceptual shift. The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning, 8, 5–18.
Louw, W. P. (2013). Green Curriculum: Sustainable Learning at a Higher Education Institution. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 14(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v14i1.1310
Mahlatsi, K. (2021). Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa: Challenges and Prospects. The Thinker, 86, 61–69. https://doi.org/10.36615/thethinker.v87i2.535
Matsuoka, S. (2023). Reconstruction Under Nuclear Disaster and Making Resilient Society in Fukushima. In: Urata, S., Akao, K. I., & Washizu, A. (editors). Sustainable Development Disciplines for Society. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Singapore. pp. 13–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5145-9_6
McCloskey, S. (2015). From MDGs to SDGs: We Need a Critical Awakening to Succeed. Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review, 20, 186–194
Moallemi, E. A., Malekpour, S., Hadjikakou, M., et al. (2020). Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Requires Transdisciplinary Innovation at the Local Scale. One Earth, 3(3), 300–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.08.006
Murphy, J., & Albu, O. B. (2018). The politics of transnational accountability policies and the (re)construction of corruption: the case of Tunisia, transparency international and the World Bank. Accounting Forum, 42(1), 32–46, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accfor.2017.10.005
Ochiai, M. (2023). Rural Development in Japan. In: Urata, S., Akao, K. I., & Washizu, A. (editors). Sustainable Development Disciplines for Society. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Singapore. pp. 33–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5145-9_6
Pedro, A. (2024). How can Africa salvage the Sustainable Development Goals? Available online: https://african.business/2023/09/resources/how-can-africa-salvage-the-sustainable-development-goals (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Pillay, S. (2015). Africa is a country: Decolonising the university. Transcription of a talk given at University of Cape Town, South Africa. Available online: http://africasacountry.com/2015/06/decolonizing‐the‐university/ (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Porter, S. (2023). How to decolonise the sustainable development agenda. Available online: https://wonkhe.com/blogs/how-to-decolonise-the-sustainable-development-agenda/ (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Porter, S., & Cook, E. (2023). Decolonisation as a driver for the Sustainable Development Goals. Available online: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/decolonisation-driver-sustainable-development-goals (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Prabhu, S. (2021). Glocalisation and the sustainability goalposts. Available online: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/glocalisation-and-the-sustainability-goalposts (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Shin, D. (2022). To Realize Our Decolonization: South Korea’s Deployment of Troops to Vietnam. International Journal of Korean History, 27(1), 213–244. https://doi.org/10.22372/ijkh.2022.27.1.213
Soda, O. (2023). Knowledge Integration and Open Social Innovation for Sustainable Development. In: Urata, S., Akao, K. I., & Washizu, A. (editors). Sustainable Development Disciplines for Society. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Singapore. pp. 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5145-9_6
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). (2018). What is green growth and how can it help deliver sustainable development? Available online: https://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/whatisgreengrowthandhowcanithelpdeliversustainabledevelopment.htm (accessed on 28 January 2024).
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2014). Shaping the Future We Want—UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (Final report). Available online: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=400&nr=1682&menu=35 (accessed on 28 January 2024).
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2023). Greening every curriculum: Development of the Greening Curriculum Guidance. Available online: https://www.unesco.org/en/education-sustainable-development/greening-future/curriculum (accessed on 28 January 2024).
United Nations. (n.d.). Sustainable Development Goals: Decade of Action. Available online: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/decade-of-action/ (accessed on 28 January 2024).
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (n.d.). Economic Development in Africa Report 2023. Available online: https://unctad.org/publication/economic-development-africa-report-2023 (accessed on 28 January 2024).
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Social Inclusion. (2021). Challenges and Opportunities for Indigenous Peoples’ Sustainability. Available online: https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/2021/04/indigenous-peoples-sustainability/ (accessed on 28 January 2024).
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2023). Africa’s SDGs progress uneven, accelerated efforts required to meet the 2030 deadline—new report. Available online: https://www.undp.org/africa/press-releases/africas-sdgs-progress-uneven-accelerated-efforts-required-meet-2030-deadline-new-report (accessed on 28 January 2024).
United Nations Development Programme. (2024). Sustainable Development Goals: Background on the goals. Available online: https://www.undp.org/sdg-accelerator/background-goals (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Waghid, Z., & Hibbert, L. (2018). Decolonising Preservice Teachers’ Colonialist Thoughts in Higher Education Through Defamiliarisation as a Pedagogy. Educational Research for Social Change, 7, 60–77. http://doi.org/10.17159/2221‐4070/2018/v7i0a5
Wals, A. E., & Benavot, A. (2017). Can we meet sustainability challenges? The role of education and lifelong learning. Eur. J. Educ., 52(4), 404–413. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12250
Worldfavor. (2022). Agenda 2030—what does ‘Decade of Action’ mean for businesses? Available online: https://blog.worldfavor.com/agenda-2030-what-does-decade-of-action-mean-for-businesses (accessed on 28 January 2024).
World Economic Forum (WEF). (2023). Can ‘glocalization’ lead to a more sustainable and equitable world? Available online: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/globalization-isn-t-working-but-glocalization-can-davos2023/ (accessed on 28 January 2024).
Wright, T. S. (2007). Developing research priorities with a cohort of higher education sustainability experts. In J. Sustain. High Educ., 8(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676370710717571
Yesufu, T. (1973). Creating the African university. London: Oxford University Press.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i9.5331
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2024 Chinaza Uleanya, Kathija Yassim
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.