Between the World and the Village: the role of education in sustaining and developing an Eritrean cultural identity

abstract

Educational provision in pluralist countries is often expected to address the competing concerns of social cohesion, equality and cultural diversity. Central to these concerns is the question of whether it is possible to promote a core of shared values running parallel to other and more diverse feelings of identity. This paper explores the role of education in the development of an Eritrean cultural identity against the background of a review of relevant educational provisions in pluralist societies. In an effort to maintain a delicate balance between the goals of cohesion and diversity, multicultural education in Eritrea offers access to a common culture and to a variety of specific cultures. The implications of these initiatives are discussed in four distinct but not necessarily mutually exclusive educational components of cultural identity, that is, the curriculum, textbooks, teachers and teacher training, and the general school ethos.