Breaking Barriers to Meaningful Learning in STEM Subjects in Africa: A Systematic Review of the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach

Meaningful learning is central to every teaching and learning exercise. The attainment of this goal in the face of the cultural diversity of students suggests the use of culturally sensitive approaches. Several studies have shown that teachers are adopting tenets of culturally relevant education to promote meaningful learning of STEM subjects for culturally, linguistically, and socially diverse populations of learners. In Africa, the culturo-techno-contextual approach (CTCA) has witnessed great exploration in Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education to ensure students learn meaningfully. However, missing in the literature is a systematic review study on the use of CTCA in STEM teaching and learning. By synthesizing the findings of studies on the use of CTCA, this review highlights the unique contributions of CTCA to promoting meaningful learning of STEM subjects for African learners through quality research reports connecting CTCA to students’ positive outcomes in science, technology, and mathematics from 2015 to 2025. Data were sought from peer-reviewed experimental studies found in Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Scopus, and Web of Science with specific selection criteria, and 24 studies were found eligible for inclusion. The findings demonstrated that CTCA has been repeatedly effective in breaking the barriers to meaningful learning of STEM subjects, helping students to understand difficult STEM concepts and improving their academic achievement. Additionally, the findings indicated several implications for practice and future research on the use of CTCA. Hence, we concluded that this review study will be a useful reference for teachers, STEM educators, and educational researchers willing to rewrite the narratives of STEM learning in Africa by decolonizing STEM education and bringing the African indigenous knowledge to the frontier of STEM teaching and learning.