Authors: Charles Matseke and Nokuthula Kumalo*
The introduction of Mandarin as an additional language in South African schools has sparked contentious debates about the lingering colonial character of the country’s education system. While proponents argue for economic pragmatism and global connectivity, critical voices rooted in African liberation thought raise profound concerns about cultural sovereignty, identity, and the legacy of colonial domination. If we consider the intellectual frameworks of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Frantz Fanon, and Steve Biko, it becomes clear that the teaching of Mandarin in this context cannot be separated from the broader project of decolonizing education.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, a staunch advocate for linguistic and cultural decolonization, would likely see the imposition of yet another foreign language, this time not English or Afrikaans but Mandarin, as a continuation of linguistic imperialism. For Ngũgĩ, the language of instruction is never neutral; it shapes consciousness and identity. He would argue that the priority should be to revitalize and empower indigenous African languages within the school curriculum as a path toward reclaiming African cultural agency.
Frantz Fanon, whose work dissects the psychological violence of colonial education, would warn that embracing Mandarin without critically addressing the structural inequalities in the current system risks reproducing new forms of alienation. Fanon might ask, “Whose interests are served by this policy?” He would caution that true liberation requires an education system that affirms the lived experiences, histories, and aspirations of African people, not one that merely shifts the axis of dependence from West to East.
Steve Biko, the voice of Black Consciousness in South Africa, would challenge the symbolic implications of this move. He would likely argue that promoting Mandarin in schools reflects a lack of self-worth and an ongoing failure to recognize the value of African cultures. For Biko, decolonizing education is not only about curriculum reform but also about restoring dignity and instilling pride in Black identity. He would call for an education system that is grounded in African values, knowledge systems, and languages, serving the liberation rather than the assimilation of African students. Together, these thinkers remind us that decolonizing education is not simply about rejecting the old colonizers in favor of new global powers. It is about fundamentally reimagining education as a tool for liberation centered on African realities, languages, and epistemologies.
In recent years, the South African Department of Basic Education has proposed the inclusion of Mandarin as an elective language subject in schools. While framed as an opportunity to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties with China, this initiative raises critical concerns rooted in neocolonialism, particularly in the context of language, identity, and education. At a time when many African languages, such as Shona and Kikuyu, remain marginalized or absent in formal curricula, the introduction of Mandarin signals a deeper cultural and political encroachment disguised as cooperation.
China’s increasing influence in Africa is often justified through investment, trade, and development aid. However, when that influence extends into education—shaping not just infrastructure but minds—it echoes the historical patterns of colonial domination. By promoting Mandarin in African schools, China asserts soft power over the continent, encouraging the next generation to align linguistically and ideologically with Chinese interests. This can be interpreted as a modern form of cultural imperialism—one that mirrors the very colonial legacy African nations have long fought to overcome.
The sidelining of indigenous African languages in favor of foreign ones reflects a dangerous continuity of colonial thought: that power lies in speaking the language of the economic superpower. Shona and Kikuyu, spoken by millions across Southern and Eastern Africa, embody rich cultural heritage, history, and philosophical knowledge systems. Their omission in curricula perpetuates the myth that African languages are inferior or irrelevant in global discourse.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, the renowned Kenyan writer and decolonial theorist, would likely be a vocal critic of such a policy. For decades, Ngũgĩ has championed the importance of writing and educating in African languages, arguing that language is not just a means of communication but a carrier of culture, memory, and consciousness. In his seminal work Decolonizing the Mind, he insists that true liberation for African people begins with the rejection of colonial languages and the reclamation of indigenous tongues. Introducing Mandarin while African languages remain underdeveloped and underfunded in education systems would, in his view, be another betrayal of the postcolonial promise—a replacement of Western domination with Eastern influence, but domination nonetheless.
*Nokuthula Kumalo is a Honors student at UJ department of Politics and International Relations
