Education was meant to liberate us, but it has betrayed us – Lumumba

In a passionate speech at the University of Education, Winneba, Professor P. L. O. Lumumba criticized Africa’s education systems. He called them a betrayal of the continent’s hard-won liberation.

“We were told that education would liberate us,” he stated. “But what kind of liberation is this? We produce graduates who are more alienated from Africa.”

The renowned Kenyan academic and lawyer was direct in his assessment. He claimed that African educational models are just repackaged colonial frameworks.

“We educate our children to perpetuate dependency,” Lumumba said. “We celebrate academic excellence, but what value does a degree have if it doesn’t serve Africa?”

He argued that while colonial rule has ended, mental subjugation continues. This happens through systems that glorify foreign knowledge and ignore indigenous wisdom.

“When an African child learns that everything good comes from outside Africa, what do you expect?” he asked.

Professor Lumumba questioned the relevance of current curricula. He noted that African education often seeks international validation instead of addressing local needs.

“We produce Africans who speak perfect English and French,” he said, “but they cannot solve basic problems in their own villages.”

To the educators present, he issued a challenge: “Africa's liberation will not come from foreign capitals. It must come from decolonized classrooms and minds willing to question inherited lies.”