INDIGENOUS EDUCATION SYSTEM: - SOME NOTES ON THE GUJI OROMO AGE OLD TRADITIONAL EDUCATION PRACTICES, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The main theme of this manuscript is to highlight the Guji Oromo indigenous education system; which needs the detail revision on historical, cultural, political, philosophical, religion, and geographical foundation of the society. It also indicates that the Guji Oromo have developed indigenous education system through which they transferred indigenous knowledge to the next generation. The study also shows that the education process is guided by well-structured traditional curriculum, which designed on the basis of indigenous calendar system; that is the source of age-set or grade process.  And it also prescribes the timing of change every eight years by means of ritual performance, thereby simultaneously setting the individual sets or cohorts into clearly identifiable academic objects, contents instructional methods, evaluation and measurement techniques, which ended with the organization of, pass-and fall ceremonies. At each stage, Gadaa members are educated in Oromo history, military strategy, law, and governance. The study was conducted through qualitative research method. It is useful technique to interpret and probe qualitative data that gathered from secondary and primary sources. The collected data categorized and interpreted thematically, to keep coherence of historical facts.