Hunter-Gatherer Children at School: A View From the Global South

Ninkova, Velina; Hays, Jennifer; Lavi, Noa; Ali, Aishah; Lopes da Silva Macedo, Silvia; Davis, Helen Elizabeth; Lew-Levy, Sheina

Abstract

Universal formal education is a major global development goal. Yet hunter-gatherer communities have extremely low participation rates in formal schooling, even in comparison with other marginalized groups. Here, we review the existing literature to identify common challenges faced by hunter-gatherer children in formal education systems in the Global South. We find that hunter-gatherer children are often granted extensive personal autonomy, which is at odds with the hierarchical culture of school. Hunter-gatherer children face economic, infrastructural, social, cultural, and structural barriers that negatively affect their school participation. While schools have been identified as a risk to the transmission of hunter-gatherer values, languages, and traditional knowledge, they are also viewed by hunter-gatherer communities as a source of economic and cultural empowerment. These observations highlight the need for hunter-gatherer communities to decide for themselves the purpose school serves, and whether children should be compelled to attend.

Citation

Ninkova, V., Hays, J., Lavi, N., Ali, A., Lopes da Silva Macedo, S., Davis, H. E., & Lew-Levy, S. (online). Hunter-Gatherer Children at School: A View From the Global South. Review of Educational Research, https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241255614

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 14, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jun 14, 2024
• Deposit Date: Aug 5, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 5, 2024
• Journal: Review of Educational Research
• Print ISSN: 0034-6543
• Electronic ISSN: 1935-1046
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241255614
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2740702