Academia, around the world, has been striving to find a suitable way of making education more learner-centred. Even though the modern education systems have incorporated several pedagogical changes and are driven by modern technological tools, the real answer may lie in something more rooted and timeless the integration of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) into modern curricula.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 also recognises this potential and emphasises the benefits of weaving IKS into the formal fabric of education, enabling the development of a more inclusive, responsive and contextual learning.
Sustainability at the core of IKS
Indigenous funds of knowledge are vital to learner-centred education as they draw from the knowledge systems of local communities, emphasising how people learn, what they must know for survival and the practices that sustain them. More importantly, IKS provides a framework for sustainability, deriving long-lived practices followed by communities across the globe that honour natural resources, highlight responsible use and preservation for future generations.
Local communities have long operated in ways that honour and preserve the natural resources on which they depend. Their practices ensure that sustainability is passed on from one generation to the next.
Bridging indigenous knowledge and the modern education system also becomes important as it helps build sustainable solutions to the most evident crisis of our era, the climate crisis. The modern solutions for climate mitigation and resilience, exclusive of the knowledge of the indigenous communities, have created more problems rather than solving them. Not to highlight the socio-economic, political and ecological distress it has brought upon the masses.
IKS and SDGs
The need of the hour is to inculcate the values that are at the very core of indigenous living, respecting the geological, hydrological and ecological context of a region, peaceful coexistence with biotic and abiotic components, and nurturing resources rather than extraction, etc. Tools like geo-cultural mapping and traditional water management practices provide us with a vision, the path of sustainable development without distortion, displacement and destruction. This integration also closely aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For instance, local communities possess valuable knowledge of healthy practices and foods that sustain life, contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). SDG 4 (Quality Education) is at the heart of this entire discussion. Recognising and incorporating local funds of knowledge is crucial for advancing education, especially in combination with modern technology. The way local communities traditionally operate also aligns directly with SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Indigenous knowledge to pave path for NEP
The integration has already begun, as reflected by steps taken by the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division of the Ministry of Education for textbook writing and training and conferences such as Gyan Bharatam for conservation and digitalisation of manuscripts. To make it more meaningful, building the repositories of the living traditions of indigenous knowledge and utilising them to create a context-focused curriculum can go a long way in paving the way for NEP.
However, repositories alone are not enough. The involvement of indigenous researchers in curriculum development is equally critical, as they bring authenticity and efficacy, ensuring that the integration is not mere tokenism but is integrated in a way that makes a real impact.
In conclusion, bridging indigenous knowledge and modern education can help develop more learner-centred pedagogical frameworks that offer learners greater flexibility to design their own pathway while making learning more contextual, inclusive and future-ready.
