Employability Skills, Knowledge Domestication, and the African Narrative

Abstract

The persistent challenge of unemployment in Africa has intensified discussions around employability skills, knowledge production, and the need to reshape dominant narratives about the continent. This paper is set out to examine the relationship between employability skills, knowledge domestication, and the African narrative within the context of socio-economic development.  Historical method was used to collect data relying on primary and secondary source of historical information the conceptual framework on which the paper is hinged centered on Human Capital Theory while Decolonial Theory was the theoretical framework on which the paper is anchored. The author addressed the link between unemployment and skill acquisition through indigenous knowledge. Findings of the paper reveals that improving employability requires not only technical and soft skills but also educational systems that domesticate knowledge that reflect African realities.  Integration indigenous knowledge systems, culturally relevant pedagogies, and local development priorities through African institutions can better prepare graduates for the labor market.  In addition, reclaiming the African narrative is crucial for redefining Africa’s identity in global discourse and promoting innovative solutions to local challenges. The paper concludes that a holistic approach combining skills development, contextualized knowledge production, and narrative transformation is essential for sustainable development and economic empowerment in Africa. Based on the discussions of this paper it was recommended that African government and institutions should be proactive in designing the educational system to address the local peculiarities and current realities by blending the school curriculum to reflect the indigenous and western knowledge.