Ubuntu: A countermeasure for challenges of child-rearing

Abstract

The research examines the contributions of the African Indigenous Knowledge System and, more precisely, the African traditional philosophy of community or Ubuntu as a countermeasure against the challenges of child-rearing in a changing society. The research contends that Ubuntu has a sagacity from which the world can learn lessons to combat the challenges of child-rearing in a changing society. Challenges named above are mainly due to society becoming more modernized, and individualistic thereby neglecting African ways of child rearing. This is the case with urbanization whereby many people move to urban places for economic prospects. Another challenge is that of family decay worldwide, where there’s an increase in a number of single parenting due to a number of factors. Some of those factors are due to the high divorce rate, the death of a partner etc. The author argues that Ubuntu can contribute to offering helpful solutions to the challenges under study. The research utilises the secondary research or desk research methodology. The results show that Ubuntu is a likely good countermeasure against the myriad of challenges in child-rearing worldwide. The research concludes that the utilisation of this African philosophy may be extremely valuable in contributing supportively to the many challenges of childrearing faced by people worldwide.

Keywords

• ubuntu
• african
• indigenous knowledge system
• philosophy
• community