Conference Program

Gofran Murtada Kamal Khalfalla

The Aga Khan university, Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

gofranmkk@gmail.com

Abstract:

The research project explores child participation as a transformative approach within the educational context of Khartoum State, Sudan. In a setting marked by both traditional pedagogical practices and cultural participatory roots, the study explores the communal participatory conceptualizations that are shaped by Khartoum’s distinct realities shaped by decades of conflicts and social disparities. The analysis aims to enrich understanding of participatory frameworks -particularly the Child-to-Child approach- through the specific realities experienced in Khartoum state. The study focuses on educators as key agents in this process, recognizing their position as potential catalysts for development (Heikka et al., 2022; Joshi, 2022). Drawing on Paulo Freire’s emancipatory pedagogy, the research acknowledges that educators may simultaneously be victims of oppressive educational structures and perpetuators of practices that limit child agency (Hederman, 1982). This duality makes understanding their conceptions crucial for meaningful educational development.

The main research question guiding this inquiry is: How do educators in Sudan conceptualize child participation, agency, and active citizenship, and how do these understandings shape their educational practices? This question is explored through a theoretical framework combining constructivism (both cognitive and social) and Freirean emancipatory pedagogy, allowing for examination of how meanings are constructed individually and collectively within specific sociocultural contexts. The Child-to-Child approach serves as a proposed response - a pedagogical methodology and development intervention built on participatory principles that positions children as active agents in their own learning and community development (Hawes, 1988; Vaghela, 2021). The research explores how this approach interacts with indigenous participatory traditions.

As external actors -such as International Non-Governmental Organizations- increasingly influence educational provision, often guided by agendas detached from local knowledge (ElAsad, 2025; Higgins & Novelli, 2020), it becomes crucial to understand how Sudanese educators define participation. Doing so is an act of epistemic justice: it reclaims indigenous knowledge, values local expertise, and promotes educational development rooted in Sudan's pedagogical conceptions. International participatory education frameworks establish certain definitions of participation, agency, and active citizenship, usually crafted for stable environments. However, decades of unrest and persistent inequality in Sudan have likely led to distinct interpretations and subtleties in these concepts. Communal practices grounded in indigenous participatory culture have helped sustain communities amid prolonged crises. Therefore, educational projects with participatory aims must draw on existing cultural practices to be effective.

The study's significance lies in its potential to inform culturally responsive educational interventions in Sudan. By centering educators' voices and examining their lived experiences and conceptualizations, the research aims to bridge theory and practice, connecting documented participatory roots in Sudanese culture with the position of children as active citizens in educational settings. Findings will contribute to more nuanced understandings of how international educational frameworks can be meaningfully adapted and implemented in fragile and conflict-affected contexts, moving beyond uniform approaches toward context-sensitive pedagogical transformation. This research holds significance for Education in Emergencies scholarship, participatory pedagogies, and educational development practice in conflict-affected regions.