Understanding of African Philosophy Through Philosophy for Children (P4C)

Abstract

The trend among philosophy of education student teachers at the University of South Africa (UNISA) is a poor grasp of the underlying assumptions and principles of African philosophy, or what British social historian E. P.Thompson (1995) called ‘the poverty of theory’. In this paper I attempt to centre the study of African philosophy in the teacher education curriculum at UNISA. The paper explores the potential for interfaces between critical thinking, philosophy for children (P4C) and African philosophy, in particular the worldview of ubuntu and communalism. The paper grows out of my concern as teacher educator about South African student teachers’ poor immersion in the African philosophical frameworks that ought to inform their practice. Since the transition from apartheid to democracy in 1994 South Africa’s Department of Education has placed a heavy premium on the promotion of African values such as ubuntu (human dignity) and communalism in its policies. That said studies in education show that these imperatives only remain at policy level and scholarly discussions, and are not reflected in the actual practice of teaching and learning. This paper explores ways in which philosophy of education students can be supported to develop a grasp of African philosophy, with emphasis on ubuntu and communalism. Second, my assumption is that P4C has the potential to induct school children in the appreciation and enjoyment of philosophical debates and engagement, which is the cornerstone of university teaching and learning.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p745