Field activities in Geography education in Angola: analysis of their trajectory in the national educational context

Abstract

Since ancient times, field activities have been fundamental for understanding geographical knowledge, constituting a crucial form of organizing Geography education by linking theory to practice. However, knowledge about their antecedents in Geography education in Angola is limited due to the scarcity of studies on the subject, which represents a gap in the training of teachers in this area. This study presents an approach to the trajectory of field activities in Geography education in Angola, from the colonial period to the present day. The objective is to analyze the evolution of field activities at different stages of Angolan educational development, highlighting the main advances and challenges. The study's methodology adopted a bibliographic review, documental analysis, and an interview with a Cuban specialist with extensive knowledge about the Angolan experience in the post-independence period. Data triangulation was performed to ensure the validity and reliability of the results. The collected data were subjected to critical analysis. The results indicate that during the colonial period, education was elitist, with field activities being practically nonexistent. After independence in 1975 and subsequent educational reforms, efforts were made to include local geographical content and practical methodologies, but the armed conflict until 2002 limited these initiatives due to the risk of attacks or landmines. With peace achieved in 2002 and the Educational Reform of 2004, field activities became part of the educational policy and constituted an independent discipline in higher education courses for training Geography teachers. Therefore, despite historical and political challenges, field activities have always been an essential practice in Geography education in Angola, contributing to the learning of geographical concepts, skills, and attitudes.