Reviving African indigenous education via folktales: pedagogical integration, cultural relevance, and philosophical underpinnings in modern educational systems
Nontokozo Gladys Mdhluli 
& Masila Joshua Masipa
Issue: Vol. 7 No.1 2026 Article 15 pp. 210 -219
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267115| Published online 27th February 2026
© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Keywords: Folklore, Ubuntu, Narrator, Orality, South African Curricular
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Ms. Nontokozo Gladys Mdhluli started her teaching career at Siphumelele Secondary School in 2013, where she found her love for language development and teaching. She was hired as a Siswati lecturer at the University of Venda on June 1, 2022. She has further contributed to scholarly discussions in her field by attending and presenting papers at a number of academic conferences. Ms. Mdhluli has written a great deal about literature and how feminist theories may be used to reinterpret traditions. Her writing has been featured in respectable journals and book chapters both domestically and abroad. She is working on her doctorate and has been actively supporting linguistic and cultural development as a board member of the National Language Body (NLB) since 2024. Her important contributions to scholarly writing, language development, and Siswati cultural studies ensure the preservation and ongoing development of Siswati’s intellectual and cultural heritage.
Dr. Masila Joshua Masipa teaches in the University of Venda’s Department of Arts and Social Sciences. He has worked in higher education for many years, with a focus on solid waste management, ethics, sociolinguistics, and development studies. Masipa is a member of the Senate Council and has overseen postgraduate students. Dr. Masila Joshua Masipa is a committed researcher and development professional with a focus on grassroots development, social inclusion, and rural mobilization in Africa. He specializes in empowering marginalized people through sustainable development initiatives and participatory governance, and he has a solid foundation in policy research and community involvement.
Mdhluli, Nontokozo Gladys, and Masila Joshua Masipa. “Reviving African indigenous education via folktales: pedagogical integration, cultural relevance, and philosophical underpinnings in modern educational systems.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.1 (2026): 210 – 219. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2026715
© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
