Decolonizing democratic aims of education in Botswana: Kagisano and outcome-based education.

This article examines Botswana's post-independence educational policy, focusing on the integration of outcome-based education (OBE) with indigenous philosophies of Kagisano (social harmony) and Botho (human dignity) within the country's democratic framework. It situates Botswana's educational reforms within Olúfemi Táíwò's conceptual distinction between two forms of decolonization: decolonization1, emphasizing African agency and pragmatic adaptation of modernity, and decolonization2, advocating for a wholesale rejection of colonial legacies. The authors argue that while OBE reflects neocolonial tendencies by privileging Western epistemologies and measurable outcomes, aligning it with Botswana's indigenous values and democratic principles could foster a uniquely indigenized form of education and democracy. The article highlights tensions between global economic pressures and national cultural aspirations, suggesting that a critical, reflective praxis combining OBE with Kagisano and Botho may help Botswana overcome colonial and neocolonial influences in education.