Re-Examining Postcolonial Science Education within a Power-Knowledge Framework: A Caribbean Case Study

Overview & Synopsis

Education systems in once-colonised locations cannot escape the abiding legacy of colonisation. Science, in particular, has played a prominent role in the reasonings and rationalisations of the colonial process. When considered in the context of an education system established by imperial powers, it is difficult to reconcile processes of self-determination without examining perceptions of the past, present, and future roles of science education. This exploratory study examines the knowledge-power dynamic of science education as articulated by high school science education stakeholders in The Bahamas. A selection of students, teachers, and administrators described their own understandings of the history, present positioning, and future direction of science education. When analysed within a knowledge-power framework, the underlying structure sees science education as a fundamental tool in the migration of people and ideas, revealing a complex relationship between the pragmatic needs of individuals and shared motivations to elevate national standing. The study provides insights that will help inform science educators as they develop decolonising strategies in contexts that have been bruised by the colonial heritage of science education.