The Characteristics and Impact of African Traditional Education
INTRODUCTION:
Some European scholars have doubted the authenticity of African traditional education. They assert that before the coming of the Europeans to Africa there was no education in Africa, the culture which is the main tenet of African Traditional Education is often portrayed as primitive and incapable of yielding a tangible framework of theories and philosophy that can guide a reasonable educational practice. p>
There is a calculated move by modern education that threatens to cause a virtual extinction of the indigenous education in Africa. This threat is of great magnitude, especially when our own youth are persuaded to see no value in African culture and education. As early as 1970’s, a survey study among Kenyan and Tanzanian secondary students revealed that only a small percentage attached value to African education and culture. They absolutely see no need in preserving traditions and customs. (Prewitt, K, 1977).
These findings suggest that many people are still myopic about the characteristics and impact of African traditional education on modern civilization. It may not even be considered as a reliable means for tangible progress and development in Africa and other continents. It is no wonder, every technological and medicinal discoveries in Africa arouses much international debate and final dismissal if not patented by the westerners.
In the voice of Gabriel Kingsley Osei, a distinguished professor of History this state of affairs has to change. The dark ages which relegated the African education and civilization into ignorance and superstition must now receive more light on the authenticity of African traditional education. It must be illuminated enough for people to recognize indigenous African education as one of the most effective and potential means of solving African problems. (Osei, 1968).
It is the intent of the is paper to reveal the characteristics of African traditional education that makes it an authentic educational system and show how it has impacted on world civilization and education, and its potential contribution to development of Africa and the rest of the world. Logical presentation and revelations in this paper should convince the reader of the need to foster the resurgence and adaptation of all that is valid for the 21st century in our indigenous African education. The following questions will be addressed in this paper.
- What is the meaning of African traditional education?
- What were the aims of African traditional education?
- What were the main characteristics of African traditional education?
- What was the content of African traditional education?
- What were the methodologies used in African traditional education?
- Who were the main agents in the African traditional education and how was it organized?
- What were the major philosophies guiding the African traditional education?
- What is the impact of African traditional education on modern education and civilization?
The Meaning of African Traditional Education:
What is the meaning of African traditional education?
African traditional education refers to ways of teaching and learning in Africa which are based on indigenous knowledge accumulated by Africans over long periods of time in response to their different physical, agricultural, ecological, political and socio-cultural challenges. The indigenous knowledge is an amalgamation of diverse cultural experiences commonly generated by diverse African cultures, and passed as valuable information from generation to generation. (Shiundu, J.S, Omulando, S.J 1992; Fasokun, J. et al, 2005).
The Aims of African Traditional Education
What were the aims of African traditional education?
The general aim of African traditional education was based on the socio-cultural and economic features shared by the various communities. The harsh natural environment made survival to be the main aim of education. Every skill, knowledge or attitude learnt was either for protection, acquiring of food or shelter. (Sifuna, 1994, Datta, 1984).
Other aims were as follows:
§ To create unity and consensus among society members.
§ To perpetuate the cultural heritage of particular ethnic group and to preserve ethnic boundaries.
§ To inculcate feelings of group supremacy and communal living.
§ To prepare the young for adult roles and status.
§
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Help answer the question about education
How will executive education change in the next 5-10 years?Will office workers and executives of the future sit in classrooms to get their executive education? Will it be delivered through Second Life or another virtual world? What role will Web 2.0 technologies play in executive education? Will we get our training through mobile phones? Will we train each other, through Wikis and similar technologies? If you are 20-25 years old now, or have experience of this, please let me know what you think about this. Thanks!
9 Comments on “The Characteristics and Impact of African Traditional Education”
Possibly.
Having looked at the public education system of the United States from three viewpoints–student, parent, and teacher, I would have to concede that too often the quote is true.
However, if you can find a way to learn to read, you become responsible and capable of educating yourself.
Sadly, we are now into the second generation of lowest common denominator education. The teachers are now products of the system and all too often simply too dumb to secure any other job. In addition, for the most part administrators and education politicos are in the business of power, influence, money, and prestige. There are precious few among them who give two hoots about whether Susie can read, and none care if Johnny can think. I'm sure that will hit a nerve, but it's the unvarnished truth, and the US had better pay attention.
Frankly, I think the entire public education system of the US is so f****d up that it can't be fixed…at least not without a revolution. The US will lose its status as the leader of the Free World because the populace is no longer sufficiently educated to maintain the top position.
…I'm so depressed about this.
Here, we make a futile and stupid attempt to educate everybody, whether they want an education or not. In other countries, they value education more, because if you don't pursue it, they stop educating you and you have to take a menial job and suffer. Parents don't want that for their children and they push them. Here, when someone doesn't want an education, we force them to stay in school with compulsory education and we give them the "No Child Left Behind" treatment. We keep their sorry butt in school and let them drag down the whole educational system. The parents don't have to take the responsibility to make their kid rise to challenges. As a result, our school systems and teachers are swamped with trying to produce even mediocre results from a population that has no reason to care or to try. Pick a developed country in the world, and its educational system will be better than ours, because here our lawyers have determined that we have to try to save people from themselves.
Your educational IRA money has to come out by age 30 but the 529 plan has no age limit. Also, the educational IRA can be spent on any education ( high school, grade school, etc.) but the 529 plan can only be spend on college. Therefore, if it looks like you have over-funded:
1. Use the educational IRA on high school and grade school expenses.
2. Spend the educational IRA first.
3. If there is any thing left in the 529 plan when your son finishes college, leave it in there. If you end up needing it for your retirement, spend it last. You will pay income tax and a 10% penalty on any earnings in the account that are withdrawn for non-educational purposes at that time. If you don't need it for your retirement, make your son the successor owner and keep it available for a grandchild or other relative.
Jim KIrby, CPA/PFS, CFP, CFS
I have friends who work as interpreters in Europe. They did their undergraduate degrees in the foreign language they want to work with, while taking a few Linguistics courses as their electives. Then, they did Master's degrees in Translating. This isn't my area of interest, and I don't know of any North American universities that offer graduate programs in Translating.
Being a "Golf Professional" isn't necessarily the same as being a "Professional Golfer". Golf Pros generally work within the golf industry as instructors, Golf Course Managers/Director's of Golf etc. Professional Golfers play the game to make a living. To become a Golf Pro you need at the least to have a diploma in golf management from a community college. These courses teach everything from course maintenance to club repairs to running local tournaments to managing a golf course. To be a Professional Golfer you need the skill to play the game at it's highest level.
I have an Educational blog. I think it might come in useful for the answers you are looking for. Come and comment and let me know what you think!
what about additional 12 years after high school
Suggestion: Don't even wait for the answer to this short question.
All you need is to be 21 years old and pass a background investigation. You at least need a High School diploma but since you graduate HS at 18(generally) you should spend those 2 years or so getting an A.S. in Justice Administration from a nearby Community College or better yet get a Bachelors or even a graduate degree so that you can be promoted easier. The average pay throughout the USA is $47,000 but in major cities pay is around $54,000 a year. It takes a lot of patience and good judgment to be a police officer. A lot of people aren't going to like you for the fact that you are a Law Enforcement Officer but don't take it personally.