The Portrayal of Indigenous Knowledge Assets in Ethiopian Curricular and Pedagogic Practices : The Case of Oromo Indigenous Knowledge (Ethiopia)

Abstract

Abstract This research dealt with assessing the portrayal of Oromo Belief system in both liberal and secular educational provisions from the past to the present in order to mark the place of ritual and cultural endowments attached to Oromo Governance and Belief Systems.. Contextual discourse analysis was used in order to intensify the gap between religio-cultural and pedagogic/andragogic practices. The documents were selected through criterion sampling technique. Units of analysis were research articles and textbooks units. In the study, the findings indicated that, the Oromo religious and cultural endowments were regarded as ungodly and archaic where Orthodox Christian and Islam Religions were considered more advanced. In the feudal regime, the Orthodox Christian Religion dominated almost all views as a state-religion. In the socialist-era, the Marxist-Leninist Ideology overshadowed all religious thoughts excepting Orthodox Christian Religion and Islam to some extent. In the current federal system, all religions are said to be developing taken the system of education as secular and non-existence of any state-religion. Yet, the educational values of religion, especially indigenous religious views such as of Waaqeffannaa of Oromo and notable socio-cultural institutions are, still, denigrated since they are more ceremonial than practical. To that end, the upcoming generation is more likely to be kept far away from the indigenous religion and cultural endowments.