Yogendra Gandhari

Equitable Education: From Policy to Praxis Yogendra Gandhari

Education plays a pivotal role to increase a person's social, political, and economic status in society. Higher education, in addition, increases socio-economic return, contributes to social democratization, and capacitate to utilize the full potential. However, the dominance of global power, neoliberalism, and profit-centric business in the education sector have captivated people's attention and the indigeneity of education has been significantly missing. Equity in education is a global concern that is reflected in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)- 4 and is an important aspect of indigenizing education; however, it faces multitudes of challenges, both at policy-level and implementation level which disables the globe to ensure equitable education for all irrespective of their sex, race, caste, ethnicity, religion, geography and so forth.
The exclusion and partiality inherited from history, particularly in a form of culture and social system, its embodiment in the existing social and state structure, and use of subtle power to sustain the hegemony have predominantly contributed to the inequality in all sectors, and education is not an exception. Therefore, the existing Western-led education requires a paradigm shift and should build on the indigeneity. Participation of marginalized people in policymaking, the inclusion of indigenous knowledge in education curriculum based on the empirical study, strengthening mechanisms to execute inclusion policies and programs, the critical conscious approach to adult education of Paulo Freire which is about the reflection of state and subsequent action for transformation can work to tackle the rooted exclusion and foster equity.