Colonial Shadows, Classroom Walls Race, Power, and Pedagogical Reform

Even decades after formal decolonisation, the architecture of education in many parts of the world remains tethered to colonial ideologies. From the dominance of Eurocentric curricula to the marginalisation of indigenous languages and knowledge systems, modern classrooms often serve as quiet enforcers of racial and epistemic hierarchies. This article examines how colonial power continues to shape educational institutions globally, tracing its legacy through curricular content, language policy, institutional governance, and pedagogical practices. By analysing key legal cases—such as Brown v. Board of Education (USA), Indra Sawhney v. Union of India, and the T.M.A. Pai Foundation case—alongside student-led decolonisation movements like Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fall, the article explores the intersection of race, power, and resistance in contemporary education. It argues that decolonising pedagogy requires more than content revision; it demands dismantling the racialised structures of knowledge production and embracing pluralistic, community-rooted, and inclusive approaches to learning. The piece concludes with a roadmap for transformative pedagogical reform, where classrooms become not only sites of instruction but also spaces of justice, healing, and liberation