Paulo Freire is a Brazilian educator and philosopher who is best known for his literacy method based on conscientization and dialogue. He has been called "the greatest living educator, a master and a teacher" (Taylor, 1993, p. 1). This article identifies and examines Freire's educational ideas which offer most important contribution to understanding educational practices and discusses their relevance to education and development in contemporary Africa in terms of the extent to which they are still of value. These ideas include Freire's theory of conscientization and dialogue, liberating education, a criticism of banking education, and a criticism of the concept of extension as cultural invasion. The examination of these ideas shows that, given the existing realities in African societies today, particularly in the rural areas, Freire's ideas now appear more relevant to education and development in Africa than ever before.
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