Colonial challenges to achieving education for all in Africa

There is an in this post-colonial era but vestiges of colonial legacy still loom large to hamper the pursuit of Education for All (EFA). Prah (2009) and others argue that the use of European languages, like English, French, Portuguese as languages of instruction in education is still resulting in subordination for African learners, particularly when they are from rural communities or of indigenous heritage. In the same way, Brock-Utne (2010) stated that this language barrier generates distance between linguistic and cultural backgrounds of students what derives in decreased understanding, poor academic performance and higher dropout rates. Colonial education models as indirect by Fafunwa (1991), defined for the aristocratic and to perpetuate social strata made few people who had access to education.

Beyond language, Africa's education systems are plagued by issues of resource deficiency, infrastructure deficits and lack of teacher training all rooted in colonial practices that favored the few to be educated (Altinyelken, 2010). These forces have particular implications for girls, rural areas, and children with disabilities that help to reproduce exclusionary systems (Aikman & Unterhalter, 2005). Scholars argue that the realization of EFA requires a commitment to reforms as well as the adoption of centralized, multilingual education policies, efforts to enhance teacher preparation and increase access/availability of infrastructure which is especially important for regions that remain under-served. Indeed, according to Mazrui (1997), this kind of reform is necessary not only for bringing about educational justice but to correct the wider challenges of those social and economic inequalities that dust upon the continent. It is imperative to address these colonial legacies if we are ever to create a more just, inclusive and sustainable education system in Africa.