Future Learning Design Podcast Learning What Matters, System Transformation in Africa - A Conversation with Dr Modupe (Mo) Olateju
Jan 18, 2026
Dr. Modupe (Mo) Olateju, an international development specialist and education researcher, discusses Africa's critical education challenges, highlighting the significant youth demographic. She critiques colonial legacies impacting education, while advocating for the integration of indigenous knowledge. Mo introduces the 'Four P's of systems transformation' and emphasizes the need to balance foundational skills with broader purposes. She also explores innovative tech solutions that emerged during the pandemic and the role of relationships in driving educational change.
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Colonial Legacy Shapes Modern Education
- Colonial-era schooling disrupted rich indigenous learning traditions and left lasting structural barriers to education in Africa.
- Funding, teacher supply, language mismatches and intersecting political problems sustain those deficits.
Education As 'Switching A Light Bulb On'
- Mo defines education as 'enlightenment' — switching a light bulb on so learners see and appreciate differently.
- Education should combine literacy/numeracy with the human capacities that allow lifelong learning and social co-existence.
The Four Ps Of Systems Transformation
- System transformation starts with clarifying purpose, then pedagogy, positioning and power — the 'four P's'.
- Without coherent purpose and aligned actors, reforms remain fragmented and ineffective.