Indigenous Knowledge Systems as tools for resilience in Education in Emergencies A case study of Uganda

This study examines how Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) are marginalised in Education in Emergencies (EiE) in Uganda, despite their role in resilience and culturally relevant learning. Uganda’s humanitarian response has expanded access but remains shaped by colonial legacies privileging external models over local epistemologies, mother-tongue instruction, and community-based learning. Guided by decolonial theory, critical pedagogy, and participatory development, this qualitative case study adopts a constructivist, interpretivist approach. Drawing on academic literature, policy documents, and organisational reports, the analysis applies thematic and narrative methods, with the researcher’s positionality reinforcing a commitment to centring marginalised voices. Findings show that IKS foster resilience through mother-tongue education, reconciliation practices such as Acholi Mato Oput , and ecological knowledge supporting livelihoods. These approaches strengthen literacy, promote healing, and restore identity, yet the Education Response Plan (ERP) and global EiE frameworks often overlook or superficially include them, prioritising access and standardisation over cultural relevance and ownership. The study argues for reframing EiE through a decolonial, humanistic lens that positions IKS as foundational. It calls for partnerships and dialogic design that put communities first, enabling EiE to move beyond service delivery towards transformation that restores identity, agency, and meaning in crisis.