Decolonizing Education in Guinea

A Systematic Review of Curricular and Pedagogical Reforms

Abstract

This systematic literature review addresses the imperative to decolonize education in Guinea by critically examining the trajectory and impact of curricular and pedagogical reforms. Despite political discourses advocating for educational autonomy since independence, the Guinean system remains deeply entrenched in Eurocentric epistemologies, languages, and pedagogical models. The objective of this review is to synthesize existing scholarly work to identify the nature, challenges, and outcomes of initiatives aimed at indigenizing the educational landscape. Employing the PRISMA framework, the methodology involved a rigorous search and critical appraisal of peer-reviewed articles, government reports, and academic theses published between 2000 and 2023. Key findings reveal that reforms have been largely fragmented and met with significant systemic resistance, including a chronic lack of teacher training, inadequate locally-relevant teaching materials, and the persistent hegemony of the French language. However, the analysis also identifies emergent grassroots efforts and localized pedagogical practices that successfully integrate indigenous knowledge, languages, and histories. The study concludes that sustainable decolonization in Guinea necessitates a radical re-centering of African epistemic sovereignty, moving beyond symbolic changes to a fundamental restructuring of educational philosophy and practice. This review holds significant implications for policymakers and educators, arguing that genuine educational transformation is a cornerstone for achieving authentic cultural and intellectual liberation on the continent.