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<p>Formal education has traditionally been viewed as the cornerstone of individual and national development in the Majority World. However, a postdigital paradox is emerging where digital platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube now enable individuals to achieve significant economic success and cultural influence without formal education, often by explicitly devaluing formal schooling. This study introduces the concept of <i>education obstructionism</i> to describe a growing trend where popular social media creators in Ethiopia, particularly those from non-academic backgrounds, frame formal education as irrelevant, slow, or ineffective for contemporary economic aspirations. Employing a qualitative digital ethnographic approach, we analyse the narratives of education obstructionism on TikTok from the Ethiopian point of view. Through interviews with students and parents, an analysis of TikTok videos, and reviews of selected literature, the research investigates how platform economies, algorithmic amplification, and economic discouragement erode public trust in educational systems. We argue that these trends represent more than mere anti-intellectualism or capitalist opportunism; they are a symptom of a deeper socio-economic grievance. The study concludes by calling for a reimagination of educational futures that integrates digital literacies, culturally resonant success narratives, and meaningful participation in knowledge economies beyond traditional schooling.</p>

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Education Obstructionism in the Postdigital Majority World: Social Media and the Devaluation of Schooling in Ethiopia

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月23日

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  • Ephrem Tekle Yacob,
  • Yitayal Addis Alemayehu,
  • Gebrie Tsegaye Mersha,
  • Eyueil Abate Demissie,
  • Michael Gallagher

摘要

Formal education has traditionally been viewed as the cornerstone of individual and national development in the Majority World. However, a postdigital paradox is emerging where digital platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube now enable individuals to achieve significant economic success and cultural influence without formal education, often by explicitly devaluing formal schooling. This study introduces the concept of education obstructionism to describe a growing trend where popular social media creators in Ethiopia, particularly those from non-academic backgrounds, frame formal education as irrelevant, slow, or ineffective for contemporary economic aspirations. Employing a qualitative digital ethnographic approach, we analyse the narratives of education obstructionism on TikTok from the Ethiopian point of view. Through interviews with students and parents, an analysis of TikTok videos, and reviews of selected literature, the research investigates how platform economies, algorithmic amplification, and economic discouragement erode public trust in educational systems. We argue that these trends represent more than mere anti-intellectualism or capitalist opportunism; they are a symptom of a deeper socio-economic grievance. The study concludes by calling for a reimagination of educational futures that integrates digital literacies, culturally resonant success narratives, and meaningful participation in knowledge economies beyond traditional schooling.