This review of arguments around formal education (schooling) acknowledges the developmental externalities of schooling and suggests that school organisation, knowledge practices and language of instruction in ex-colonies require review to serve national agendas. The arguments developed in the paper provided evidence that educational outcomes are not the same, especially in ex-colonies of Africa. It argues, that schooling in ex-colonies tend to de-historicise students and uproot them from their cultural heritage as colonialism does. As such, ex-colonies face national security risks associated with cultural epistemicide, for the loss of indigeneity including loss of indigenous knowledge, language and national identity. Therefore, there is need for a situated analysis of the political economy of knowledge production in order to deconstruct whose knowledge and interest schooling serves in ex-colonies. It is important for educational policy makers and school administrators to take a second look at schooling in terms of how it accords certain privileges and legitimacy to certain forms of knowing while invalidating indigeneity – Indigenous knowledge, culture and identity in ex-colonies.
Keywords: Education, Security, anti-colonial, ex-colonies, identities, indigeneity
