An Insightful Look Into Mathematics Teachers' Navigation of Indigenisation as a Pedagogic Approach: A Contribution Toward Decolonisation

The teaching of mathematics amidst the rising influence of globalisation in South Africa's basic education has come at the expense of the possibility of integrating local and Indigenous knowledge systems (LIKS) in the classroom. The scholarship of indigenisation reveals that mathematics teachers are confronted with pedagogical impediments that hinder a decolonised view informed by LIKS. Not much is currently understood about how mathematics teachers navigate these impediments during curriculum implementation, especially in rural areas. The Southern Theory underpinned the study because it advocates for the democratisation of marginalised Indigenous knowledges. This paper seeks to provide pedagogical insights into mathematics teachers' experiences during the integration of LIKS in their classrooms. A qualitative research approach was employed within an interpretivist paradigm. The study relied on an exploratory research methodology wherein nine participants were purposively sampled from the rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were generated through focus group discussions. The findings identified fundamental dimensions that hinder the implementation of LIKS although the participants appeared to have had sufficient pedagogical insights required for such integration. In conclusion, for an effective decolonisation of mathematics education, the implementation of the curriculum needs to be flexible to allow for the possibility of LIKS.