This article contributes to the discussion on how transformative and Indigenous paradigms can be incorporated into policy and practice. It shows how these paradigms can be meaningfully integrated into the design and delivery of education programmes to ensure that interventions are not only technically effective but also relational, participatory, and emancipatory, especially in contexts characterised by historical marginalisation and structural inequality. Using the dual lenses of Mertens’ Six S…
Read moreThis article contributes to the discussion on how transformative and Indigenous paradigms can be incorporated into policy and practice. It shows how these paradigms can be meaningfully integrated into the design and delivery of education programmes to ensure that interventions are not only technically effective but also relational, participatory, and emancipatory, especially in contexts characterised by historical marginalisation and structural inequality. Using the dual lenses of Mertens’ Six Steps for Transformative Research and Chilisa’s Eight Rs of Indigenous Inquiry, this article examines the South African Kha Ri Gude (Tshivenda for “Let Us Learn”) Literacy Campaign as a national example that embodies these principles. Delivered in all 12 official South African languages, including South African Sign Language, the campaign reached over 4.7 million adults through a decentralised, community-based model delivered by approximately 40,000 volunteers. Drawing on my experience as CEO of the campaign, this article presents a praxis-oriented reflection on the potential of transformative and Indigenous paradigms for implementing large-scale education interventions that achieve both redress and epistemic justice. This article affirms that embedding these paradigms from inception to evaluation can help realise a project’s transformative potential.
