Paper short abstract:

Hunter-gatherer societies have struggled between mainstream educational practices and their informal child socialization. This study analyses child-facilitator interactions in non-formal education in contemporary hunter-gatherer society and discusses desirable education for their present and future.

Paper long abstract:

Although inclusive education for children with diverse backgrounds is emphasized globally, the ideology of modern education has still occupied in mainstream. Hunter-gatherer communities have struggled between mainstream educational practices and their informal child socialization. The Government of Botswana relocated a number of Gǀui and Gǁana people to a settlement called New Xade late 1990s. In the primary school located in this village, the modern educational practices characterized by a top-down teaching style has been accelerated, while informal socialization in Gǀui and Gǁana community has been characterized by active interaction among children of multiple ages. Setswana and English are used as medium of instruction while almost all children speak Gǀui and Gǁana languages in their daily lives. Opportunities of child-teacher interactions are seriously limited, and the situation has led to drop out of children from school. Also, most educated youth in this village have lived with little job opportunities.

Under these circumstances, non-formal education for children who drop out of formal school was launched in New Xade in 2007. Gǀui and Gǁana speaking youth were involved in the non-formal education as facilitators. These facilitators communicate with children using their languages. Children of multiple ages with diverse learning levels have studied in the same class. The educational environments provide a valuable case study for developing a community-centered educational system which enables a more responsive and inclusive education. This study analyses child-facilitator interactions in non-formal education settings and discusses desirable education for the present and future of hunter-gatherer communities.