Decolonizing ICT curricula in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The critical objectives of South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are to meet the needs of the ICT industry and to promote educational and industrial relationships within the ICT industry. Of importance is to respond to the call for the decolonization of the curriculum, besides the promotion of skills and abilities for the enhancement of graduate contributions to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. To this end, a possible solution is the development of an ICT skills framework concerning the needs of the South African ICT industry, which would guide the development of ICT curricula at HEIs in South Africa. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to develop such a framework based on an understanding of requirements as set out by the South African ICT industry and to this extent, address the need for a decolonized ICT curriculum. The study used a descriptive phenomenological, grounded theory design, applying the Constant Comparison Method (CCM). The study explored and described the lived realities of ICT practitioners using instructed interviews. Data obtained from these interviews were benchmarked against the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) to assist with the identification of technical skills required. However, supplementary skills were identified as a requirement for competent ICT graduates. The proposed framework consolidates the relationships amongst technical skills and additional skills, which could act as the point of departure to further decolonize ICT educational materials.