KENYA'S EDUCATION SYSTEM.   Term Paper ID:29788 Click to get this paper

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Paper Abstract: Colonial government education policy. Covers period 1920 to 1939. Racial stratification of education. Colonial education system as a method to control Africans and keep them in a secondary position. Contrast of schools for European settlers with those for native Kenyans. Missionary schools. Educational opportunities for students determined by race. Actions of Kikuyu tribe to gain independent Kikuyu-operated schools. Paper Introduction: Kenya’s Education System, 1920-1939 Education in Kenya during its colonization was racially stratified, with varying curricula and facilities for Europeans, Asians and Africans. Sentiment in the colony was strongly in favor of such segregation. For example, Richard Frost stated in Race Against Time that Europeans in Kenya were “almost unanimously opposed to any infiltration of non-Europeans into European schools” (1978). Thus, up until Kenya gained its independence in 1963 and subsequently discarded the British system in the 1980s, educational opportunities for students in Kenya was determined almost entirely by race (KenyaWeb, 2002). Martin Carnoy (1974) and Donald Schilling (1984) have argued that the education system as applied to black Kenyans was really a means to control Africans and inculcate within them “a sense of inferior Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Christianmissionaries established the first formal schooling program for nativeKenyans. Obdyerodhyambo cites statistics that showthe Kenyan government spent 97 percent of its education budget in theschools for Europeans and Asians, though these groups made up only 3percent of the school population as a whole. The politics of education in colonialAlgeria and Kenya. Martin Carnoy (1974) and Donald Schilling (1984) have argued that theeducation system as applied to black Kenyans was really a means to controlAfricans and inculcate within them "a sense of inferiority" that would keepthem permanently in a secondary position (Natsoulas, 1998). The first secondary school for Asian boys was the Duke ofGloucester (Obyerodhyambo, 2 2). "The Kenyan government and the Kikuyu independentschools: from attempted control to suppression, 1929-1952." The Historian,6 : 2, (Win 1998), 289-3 6. Frost, R. (Athens, Ohio: 1984), 49-1 1. Africans preferredthem, however, because they were administrated by Africans and theycelebrated African customs and traditions (Natsoulas, 1998). References Carnoy, M. The African students, whomade up 97 percent of the school population, received the remaining 3percent (Obyerodhyambo, 2 2). A second primary goal of theeducational policy applied to native Kenyans was, at least up until the193 s when the Kikuyu tribe began to push for change, to create a semi-literate skills-based labor pool that would be best prepared for working in"peasant-based African societies" (Natsoulas, 1998). Kenya's Education System, 192 -1939 Education in Kenya during its colonization was racially stratified,with varying curricula and facilities for Europeans, Asians and Africans.Sentiment in the colony was strongly in favor of such segregation. Rather, the government worried that such education would engenderpolitical activism within native Africans (Natsoulas, 1998). The government, fearful of a politicalbacklash if it did not attempt to work with the Kikuyu, nonethelessreserved the right to close any one of the schools if it was "not properlyconducted and provided with a curriculum approved by the Inspector ofSchools" (Natsoulas, 1998). Harik, E. By 1937 there were 54 Kikuyu-operated schoolswith 7,223 students (Natsoulas, 1998). Knighton, B. Thus, up until Kenya gained its independence in1963 and subsequently discarded the British system in the 198 s,educational opportunities for students in Kenya was determined almostentirely by race (KenyaWeb, 2 2). In contrast, schools for the young European settlers were based on theBritish public education system, with names such as The Prince of Wales,The Duke of York (boys) and The Duchess of York (girls) (Obyerodhyambo,2 2). Thus, beginning in the late 192 s, one Kenyan tribe inparticular, the Kikuyu, began to agitate for better educational policy forAfricans. In addition, by 1924, ninety percent of all schools in tropicalAfrica were mission schools (Knighton, 2 2). The colonial government also tied financial assistance to themissionary schools to the requirement that the schools provide Africansonly with agricultural skills training, hygiene classes, and limitedreading and writing instruction (See Obyerodhyambo, 2 2; Natsoulas, 1998). Asian children, who numbered 7,995, receivedapproximately 24 percent (23.5). "Sigana: Re-engaging contemporary culturalreality." (Dec 3, 2 2). Despite the colonial government's attempt to limit their ambitions,native Kenyans nonetheless recognized the damaging effect of colonialeducation policy. These independent schools helpedmeet the growing demand for education, especially given that the worldwidedepression limited the budget of the mission schools. Natsoulas, T. Thus, one of the primarygoals of schools for Africans in Kenya had the stated goal of producing"good Christians" (Natsoulas, 1998). World Wide Web:. Africans were not provided with any university preparatory secondaryschools. & Schilling, D. The Kikuyu are the largest tribe in Kenya; yet, by 1928, in theKikuyu districts of central Kenya, only about 13, elementary schoolpupils were enrolled out of a total population of over 5 , children(Natsoulas, 1998). (Nairobi: Transafrica, 1978). Education as cultural imperialism. Overview of education in Kenya." KenyaWeb. "School for progress: The re-routing of BCMSmissionaries into education for the end of empire in Karamoja, Uganda."International Review of Mission, 91: 361, 256-277. Obyerodhyambo, O. Basil Davidson also quotes disproportionatespending on the European and Asian students. Generally, these schools prepared theEuropean and Asian settlers for administrative, business and professionalpositions (Obyerodhyambo, 2 2). Race against time. Forexample, Richard Frost stated in Race Against Time that Europeans in Kenyawere "almost unanimously opposed to any infiltration of non-Europeans intoEuropean schools" (1978). He states that in Kenyaduring 1935, the 1,889 European students received almost 3 percent (29.2)of the education budget. Despite government reluctance, by the early 193 s, theKikuyu had convinced the colonial education department to sanction schoolsindependent of the missions. (Dec 3, 2 2):. (New York: 1974): 78-82, 113-55. In addition, the 1 ,72 African childrenreceived approximately 47 percent (47.5) (Davidson, 1994). If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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