Topic 1: PRE–COLONIAL EDUCATION AND CULTURE _ Pre-Colonial African Societies - History 1 Notes Form 5 and 6
PRE–COLONIAL EDUCATION AND CULTURE
Culture refers to the total way of life; it includes education, science and technology, political systems, and traditions. Education refers to the transformation of norms, skills and knowledge from one generation to another.
Under normal circumstances, education must grow out of the nature of the environment; therefore the most outstanding feature of pre– colonial education was its relevance to Africa.
Education is one of the pivotal roles in any type of society for the preservation of the uses of the members and maintenance of the social structure.
These are two types of education namely
- Formal education
- Informal education
Formal education:-
Formal education is that type of education that follows specific programs; there is a defined syllabus and curriculum.
Informal education:-
This refers to that type of education whereby young people acquire knowledge and skills by imitating the elders. It is based on one‟s observations. Informal education is characterized with the absence of a syllabus but it involved active participation of the learners in games and plays.
It was progressive as it involved all the stages of the physical emotional and mental development of the child.
It should be noted that there was formal education in pre–colonial Africa to a limited extent. Literacy was concentrated along Nile, North Africa and Ethiopia. This type of literacy was connected with religion, it was mainly found in universities such as Al –Azhar in Egypt, Fez in Morocco and Timbuktu in Mali.
OBJECTIVES OF PRE-COLONIAL EDUCATION
It produced a well rounded personality who could fit well in society in all aspect of life.
It enabled the young to abide to the culture of the society such as good moral and social conduct, loyalty and respect to all.
Pre-colonial education moulded the young people to accept, practice and perpetuate the traditions and culture of the society.
Pre-colonial education prepare graduates to assume the duties and responsibilities of adult, through at low social level, in accordance with their age and merital status.
Pre-colonial education also brought up children to value the wisdom of their elders, a vital component pre-colonial oral culture, and much of what they absorbed from their elders was instilled by role-learning.
Furthermore, pre-coloial education helped children to learn the history of their ancestors and the oral traditions and customs of their community or nation.
Features of pre–colonial education in Africa
Informal
Pre–colonial education in Africa was mainly informal; the young acquired knowledge by imitating the elders. In many African societies elders told stories around the fire places in the evening. These stories and all the information that the young received are what are called informal education.
Relevant to the society.
It was relevant to the society because it was born out of the environment of the concerned society. It produced well rounded individuals who could fit in their societies; it targeted self community and survival of the society. These was nothing from the alien community because everything stormed from the traditional and customs of the society in question.
It was progressive.
Pre–colonial education was progressive because it involved all stages of physical, emotional and mental development of the child. The young people were taught various specialist skills which followed a definite pattern starting from the simple to the complex ones.
It put emphases on moral and social conduct. Pre–colonial education aimed at instilling good morals and social conduct to the young people. African societies had some accepted core valves and elders used to condemn strongly any action or behavior that tended to undermine the promotion of the accepted valves.
Encouraged specializations.
Pre–colonial African education encouraged specialization in certain fields. It aimed at preparing the young members of the community for specific responsibilities in future. People trained in activities such as medicine, iron working basketry and pottery.
Aimed at procreation
Pre–colonial education aimed at procreation of production. The existing education system in the society shaped and stimulated production within the society. All activities aimed at production as to sustain the society.
Lacked uniformity
Pre–colonial African education lacked uniformity. It varied from society to society depending on the economic, social and environmental conditions of a given society. Each society had its own customs and traditions depending on the environment of that given society.
LIMITATIONS/DISADVANTAGES OF PRE–COLONIAL AFRICAN EDUCATION
The programs of teaching were restricted to a certain period in the life of the individual especially at the time of initiation. The education system did not have specific program for older people.
It relied so much on memory and oral traditions; there was no way newly acquired knowledge, skills could be recorded or preserved for the future. Dependence on memorials led to loss of vital information that could be passed on the young people.
Pre–colonial education did not have a specific and organic syllabus; each society had its own education which was based on the culture of that society. It should be noted that the environment determined the nature of occupations in pre -colonial Africa; this also shaped the content of education given to that particular society.
Pre–colonial Africa education was characterized by parochialism because it was centered on a particular tribe and clan units. It readily responded to the needs of that particular tribe or region in question therefore it did not address the issues of the whole nation at large.
Pre–colonial African education lacked a social philosophical base that could have introduced a sense of uniformity and conformity. There was absence of a common language that could have united all the tribes thus ensuring skills are not confined within one particular tribe.
Pre–colonial African education was too mythical, it relied on oral traditions; whereby many of the stories given by the elders cannot be proved scientifically. The elders had a tendency of being bias towards their tribe.
NOTE: - It should be note that despite its limitations. Pre–colonial African education paved a crucial role in development of African societies.