How can critical thinking help reduce bias and prejudice against street children
Gloria Mayen Umukoro, Edisua Merab Yta, Lilian Onyinye Ohanyere, Agatha Egbe-John, & Veronica Ebi Odey
Department of Modern Languages & Translation Studies University of Calabar, Department of Theatre & Media Studies University of Calabar, Department of Modern Languages & Translation Studies University of Calabar, Department of Educational Foundations University of Calabar
In traditional African societies, children were seen as a resource to the family and the community at large. This made the process of child upbringing and socialization an important traditional African value owed to children by parents and the community. However, new cultures and socioeconomic changes have destroyed values placed on upbringing of the African child leading to child abandonment and abuse resulting in large number of street children in Africa and the bias and prejudice they suffer. The general objective of this study is to examine why people are unwilling to help street children and to show how critical thinking can help reduce bias and prejudice against them. Contact hypothesis using carnival is used to boost togetherness, encourage teamwork, reduce prejudice and bias against street children and restructure people’s thinking towards them.
Streetism, Critical thinking, Bias, Prejudice, Carnival.
