Interrogating the Historical Baggage of Decolonisation: Indications for Transformative Policy and Academic Discourse in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The persistent influence of coloniality continues to shape academic discourse, affecting programs, systems, decision-making processes, and research practices, while frequently marginalising indigenous knowledge systems. This study employed a desktop review approach to examine the enduring impact of coloniality and decolonial initiatives within Sub-Saharan African higher education systems. A central tension in existing literature is the fragmented and often disconnected analysis of coloniality and decoloniality, which hinders a cohesive understanding of their interplay within higher education contexts and their implications for policy and institutional transformation. Literature published between January 2015 and December 2025 was retrieved from academic databases, supplemented by searches of formal documents and websites from organisations such as UNESCO, the African Union, UNICEF, and CODESRIA. The study specifically targeted Sub-Saharan African higher education contexts to avoid overgeneralising findings across the diverse educational landscapes of the African continent. The initial search yielded 312 sources, which were screened according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. After removing duplicates and conducting an initial review of titles and abstracts, 56 articles were selected for full-text assessment. Ultimately, 42 peer-reviewed journal articles and authoritative institutional publications, all published in English, were included in the thematic and narrative analysis. Key search terms included "coloniality," "decolonisation," "Africanisation," "knowledge systems," and "curriculum reform" to ensure the relevance of the selected literature. The report highlights the persistent dominance of colonial models in educational discourse, even as decolonial strategies demonstrate potential. However, the emphasis on tangible outcomes is undermined by ambiguous prospects, inconsistent policies, and reforms that are only partially implemented. The study concludes that achieving meaningful transformation demands conceptual clarity, institutional commitment, epistemic justice, and coherent policy frameworks. It further recommends the integration of African knowledge systems into curricula, reform of governance structures, restructuring of research evaluation mechanisms, fostering intellectual engagement in indigenous languages, and establishing monitoring frameworks to ensure sustainable and transformative outcomes.