contribution of missionaries to education in ghana

Purchase a license below to view the full collection. Predominantly Muslim territory, the North received western education later than the South. This finding was supported by two types of analysis. senior high school crs More women than men attend church, and the more strict churchgoers tend to be wealthier and of higher social status than less churchgoers or non-Presbyterians. Henry Townsend who went from Sierra Leone to Badagry in 1842 in his company was the Rev Ajayi Crowther. *You can also browse our support articles here >. Although Lokoja had a small C.M.S. As happened in other territories, the Christian missionaries did not confine their work to the spread of the gospel alone. began work in many parts of Africa. They impressed it upon their converts not to have anything to do with these traditional practices. Today, local communities and ethnic groups that were more exposed to mission schools, still achieve higher levels of education, when compared to communities where there were no schools. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Reiterating what teacher education must encapsulate, Adegoke (2003) and Benneh (2006) indi-cated that the mission of Ghana's teacher education is to pro- The missionaries seemed to have concentrated much of their effort on the production of export crops. Longman Nigeria Plc., 1994, Boahen, A.A. et al Tropics in West Africa History. Their luggage and other necessities had to be carried on heads and took a long time before reaching the missionaries. Isichei, Elizabeth. Consequently, they couldnt do much to promote the cultivation of food crops like maize, cassava, cocoyam and plantain. Therefore, whether through their rigid educational polices or lack thereof, colonial governments contributed to the poor education, though there is no denying that missionaries also contributed to the quality of education to a great extent. As a predominantly Roman Catholic country, France encouraged Roman Catholic missionaries right from the start of her colonial activities in West Africa. %%EOF self help The traditions and values of the community, as well as the meaning of life, were taught to the child. The weakening of traditional societies was not simply a consequence of the efforts of missionaries but one of their main objectives, stemming from their belief in the civilizing mission. Supporters of the civilizing mission believed that European colonial enterprises were justified as the Europeans were imparting their superior Western culture and ideas to the ignorant heathens of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australasia. On the opposite side, the coming of the Christian missionaries brought in its wake certain negative developments like disregard for African culture and rebellion against traditional authority. He had a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 517 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<2E41B338ACB2B2110A00B08D5A5CFE7F>]/Index[503 20]/Info 502 0 R/Length 86/Prev 357984/Root 504 0 R/Size 523/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream In conclusion, the converts tended to look down upon many things in their ancestral culture. Thomas Thompson, arrived in Cape Coast in 1752. The third, St Nicholas Grammar School (now Adisadel College), was founded by the Anglican Church in 1910. The Akim area had about 3400 converts over 32 villages and there were about 900 children distributed in 27 Schools. This thesis discusses and assesses contribution of Christian Missionaries to education in Meru from 1908 to 1963. The Journal of Negro Education, 2019 Besides being an online tutor, Ralph is an author and expert digital marketer with proven skills in SEO content writing. 1931. Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. Your email address will not be published. The missionary impact on education would have far-reaching consequences, as their creation of a weak basis of education would slow down the political and educational development of many former colonies in Africa. Series CLS. In the British colonies, as elsewhere, religious missions were instrumental in introducing European-style education. Another valuable contribution of the Christian missionaries in West Africa was the development of literature in the local vernaculars, this included the translation of the Bible into some of the important local languages. While the protestant evangelical movements were gaining ground in West Africa, similar movements were being promoted by the Roman Catholic Church in Europe. It is possible to hear the tune of this missionary hymn. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. ), Father Auguste Moreau and Father Eugene Murat, arrived at Elmina and revived the Roman Catholic Church in Ghana. Daystar Press, 1978. In traditionally monogamous societies, primary school completion increased by about eight percent, but only four percent in polygamous societies. A notable example, in Ghana, was the Methodist experimental farm near Cape Coast whose crops included cotton, coffee, black pepper, mango, ginger, cinnamon and olive trees. Unsurprisingly, the level of education increased as one moved closer to the missionaries. Finally, education affects many other aspects of peoples lives, including economic opportunities and political attitudes. It would be wrong, however, to blame all these ills on the Christian missionaries alone. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, the Moravian Mission, the Mission of Bremen, the Methodists, and Roman Catholic missionaries all established themselves on the Gold Coast (Ghana) between 1820 and 1881, opening elementary schools for boys and girls . The late Eighteenth Century witnessed the rise of Christian groups in Europe that resorted to the evangelization of Africa. Similar developments were carried out by the missionaries in other Nigerian languages, Efik, Kanuri, Igbo, etc. Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Bremen, Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy (SOCIUM), Universitt Bremen. They need YOU. Founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen, we number more than 6,000 missionaries. Their economic activities went beyond the development of agriculture. English grammar Ghana sits on West Africas coastline along the Gulf of Guinea, bordered by the Ivory Coast and Togo to the west and east and Burkina Faso to the north. We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. The mission schools trained Africans to be able to work as translators, messengers and office clerks for the colonial government. Wed love to get to know you and discuss how God is calling you. It also talks about all the mission societies from all denominations engaged in educational works. In short, it was a very successful mission in making us little black Anglo-Saxon Protestants. In Fanteland, the Methodists and Roman Catholics pioneered similar works. Ralph teaches English for Academic Purposes (EAP) online. which were for females (Graham, 1971). I also matched up locations that differed in proximity to the mission stations, but otherwise had similar preconditions for educational development. One is led to ask, why this sudden development? All work is written to order. Last, missionaries provided a very poor education, causing their students to be ill-equipped for social or material success, as they believed education to simply be a means for proselytization, were unqualified teachers, and allowed inter-denominational rivalries to interfere. However, the early missionaries established medical centres, at first at their mission posts, and later far and wide, to attend to the sick. The Methodists founded Mfantsipim (1876) for boys and Wesley Girls High School (1884). The History of Christianity in West Africa. They preferred to hold onto polygamy, even at the cost of illiteracy. Looking for a flexible role? It was also terribly hard for a woman to be driven away, and to lose her status in the society where she is respected as a wife and a mother. House, 1967. What would have happened if missionaries had not insisted on monogamy? non-slave trade), Christianity, Civilization and Colonization. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995. However, by the turn of the Nineteenth Century there was systematic efforts by churches of Christian Europe, namely: Anglicans, Methodists, and Baptists who were active in Sierra Leone and, with Presbyterians, in Nigeria, while Methodists also set up missions in Ghana, Gambia, and Dahomey. The city of Akuropong capital of the Akan state of Akuapem in Ghana, has known the Christian presence during the last 186 years, initially centered on the Basel Mission, then on the Free Church of Scotland, and now on the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. Establishment of Christian Churches In Nigeria. Initially,. S.J. further studies Among several others, the native Bishop Ajayi Crowther produced the first translation of the Bible in Yoruba. For instance, in Nigeria in 2006, approximately only 51.2% of primary school teachers of either gender were trained as teachers, and the enrolment rate in primary education for both genders in 2000 stood at about 62.7%, compared to 99.5% in Canada (UN Data 2010). Required fields are marked *. (with Examples), Top 20 Topics in English for Academic Purposes, 7 Rules of Referencing and Citation in Academic Writing, 10 Importance of Referencing and Citation in Academic Writing, How to Get a Degree Without Going to High School, Joseph Rhodes Dunwell Methodist Missionary, 1835, Thomas Birch Freeman Methodist Missionary, 1838, Thomas Thompson Society for the Propagation of the Gospel/Anglican, 1752, Wesley Girls High School, Cape Coast Methodist missionaries, Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast Methodist, Adisadel College, Cape Coast Anglican Missionaries, Holy Child School, Cape Coast Roman Catholic, St Augustines College, Cape Coast Roman Catholic, Archbishop Potter Girls School, Takoradi, Aburi Girls Secondary School Presbyterian, St Monicas High School, Mampong Anglican. missionaries was the development of literature in Yoruba. The system was devoid of any cohesive national policy. It is important for several reasons. Given their priorities, it should thus come as little surprise that missions often provided poor education to the African pupils. Africa and the Winder World 3. The agricultural schools the missions ran would have been even more advantageous to the colonial governments considering the discouragement of local industries that might have competed with the motherland. African Drama Our academic experts are ready and waiting to assist with any writing project you may have. In 2011 at age 77, he retired from teaching and returned to the United States. 2023 Society of the Divine Word. They also introduced vocational education in the country. Wm. wassce literature questions. Request Permissions. Apart from giving to the converts a new religious faith which they consider is superior to the traditional religions, the Christian missionaries did pioneering work in introducing new crafts, industries, Western education and modern health services. The Basel Mission. Their records from World War One show their distance from the war and yet that it did affect their decisions. In December 1868 he went with his wife and child to Anum in the present-day Volta Region of Ghana. John G. Christaller (described as the Father of Twi Literature) produced a Twi grammar and dictionary, a collection of Twi proverbs, a Twi translation of the Bible as well as prayers and hymns. He professed vows in 1953 in Conesus, N.Y., and was ordained to the priesthood in 1961 at Techny, Ill. However the superficial motivations and ideologies have changed, at the most basic level both contemporary Northern charities and nineteenth century missionaries share the belief that the North must come and save the suffering natives, which in the case of the missionaries, has been proven to have inflicted more harm than provided relief. 2 Longman Group Ltd. London 1974, Ampadu B.K Notes on History of Ghana for Senior High Schools. Missionaries and the intellectual history of Africa: a historical survey. Itinerario 7, no. Of the ten largest congregations for men, the Society of the Divine Word is the fastest growing over the past 50 years. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Bristol Archives/Universal Images Group/Getty Images, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. In the 19thh century, too, Afro-Brazilians returned to Benin and Nigeria with Catholicism. Volunteers and donors to organizations such as Compassion Canada believe that they are being humanitarian when they build schools in Africa, volunteer as teachers or help in other ways to improve the quality of education in African nations, yet missionaries and colonial governments were similarly lauded as performing a great work of humanity (Beck 1966:117) and likewise believed that they were helping their African pupils. Within ten years the C.M.S had opened twelve more schools in what is today Cross Rivers State. In 1910, a prominent report of the World Missionary Conference concluded: [T]here can be no question of polygamy. Father Jean Marie Coquard, operating in and from Abeokuta for forty years, was renowned among the Egba as a priest and surgeon in the second half of the nineteenth century. Included on the website is information about the charitys programs, such as their Leadership Development Program in which participants earn a degree in their chosen field of study, and participate in Christian leadership training, enabling them to become a fully developed agent of change in their nation (Compassion Canada 2011). The study examines the historical foundations of Western education in Meru and factors that influenced its development. With the support of the Propagation of the Faith within the Vatican, whose Cardinal Secretary became Pope Gregory XVI, various Roman Catholic missionary societies were founded. By focusing on the African demand for education, I showed that Africans were not just passive recipients of mission schooling. To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below: If you are the original writer of this essay and no longer wish to have your work published on UKEssays.com then please: Our academic writing and marking services can help you! Indeed, once the souls had been saved and since the students must have been considered clever enough, European languages were almost universally the languages of instruction in the later primary years and in secondary schools (Beck 1966: 120; Foster 1965: 159; Miran 2002:127). Get full access to all 9,566 pages that make up the Ghana in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1886-1951 collection. For several years they paid attention to slave trade rather than evangelization and Christianization of the people of West-Africa. The achievement of the purpose of these Christian Missions came with some costs. But with colonial conquest and antimalarial drugs, they moved further into the continent. But Annor (1989) writes that before Europeans came to colonize Africa, Africans had a way of producing artifacts. In 1902 the Methodists opened a clinic at Igbo-Ora. Properly meant by Anglo-Saxon standards. After World War I was declared in 1914, the German missionaries were restricted in their movements by the British in the British colonies. Not only did mission education strengthen colonial rule, but it also weakened traditional societies and implemented poor standards of Western education. It is obvious that the main reason why the missionaries came to Ghana was to convert the indigenous people to the Christian faith. Another reason why the Europeans came to spread the Christian religion in Ghana was to pave their own way into eternal glory. For instance, in the Salisbury region of Rhodesia, it was reported in 1924 that no male teachers had educational qualifications (Bone 1969:28). Copyright 2023 ABWE. No plagiarism, guaranteed! This was around the same time that the first Portuguese sailors arrived on the coast of Ghana. The role of the Christian missionaries in Ghana and West Africa was not limited to the education and agricultural sectors alone. The kingdom of God in Africa: A short history of African Christianity. The early missionaries set up craft centres as part of their educational programmes. He introduced the Methodist Church in Asante in 1839, and won the support of the Asante king. These commercial activities, therefore, made an important contribution to the economic development of Ghana. Lets now take a closer look at both the positive and negative impacts of the activities of the Christian missionaries in Ghana and the rest of Africa. Their personal and family choices influenced the expansion speed of missionary education. How to Get Involved in Church Missions: The Ultimate Guide, 16 Causes of Crime Essay (with Solutions), Justify the Title of the Novel Second Class Citizen, The Role of Ghana in the Formation of the OAU, Economic Developments in Ghana Before Independence, 11 Causes of the Rise of Nationalism in Africa, Importance of the Odwira Festival in Ghana. In the field of education, however, the missionaries had to adjust their programmes to fit in with the policy of assimilation. Ekechi, Felix K. Colonialism and Christianity in West Africa: The Igbo Case, 19001915. The Journal of African History 12, no. Among these were the Congregation of the Holy Ghost (commonly known as the Holy Ghost Father), the Society of African Missions (SMA), the Society of Missionaries of Africa, popularly known as the White Fathers because of the white Muslim-like clothing which the Fathers wore, and the society of the Divine Word (SVD, abbreviated from its Latin name). But with the abolition of slavery, the introduction of cocoa, and the Churchs efficient school system, she gradually became the Church of the social elite. The practice of inflicting multiple wounds on the bodies of so-called spirit babies now belongs to history. These trends occasionally brought kings into conflict with the missionaries and their converts. The Christian missionaries have been credited with the discontinuation of some obnoxious traditional practices among Ghanaians. Vol. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004. They relied very much on their home churches for their funds. By 1885, the church had spread further inland, thanks to Father Joseph Lutz who started work around Onitsha in 1886 and spread the gospel in many parts of the present day Imo and Anambra States. The activities of the early Christian missionaries negatively affected the development of African traditional political institutions. One method of discouraging traditional practices was to give students a fully Western education. The work of the missionaries also had little success initially. It is interesting to note that this project is not a new concept. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! THE CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES AND VERNACULAR LITERATURE; Another valuable contribution of the Christian missionaries in West Africa was the development of literature in the local vernaculars, this included the translation of the Bible into some of the important local languages. Similar organizations were formed in several other European countries. Some of these effects are still with us today. Grammar School for Boys in 1859, St Gregorys College opened by the Catholics in 1876, Methodist Boys High School 1878 and Methodist Girls High School 1879. He worked zealously as an evangelist and schoolmaster in the Castle School until his death in 1816. The Roman Catholics established their first secondary school, St Augustines, at Cape Coast in 1936. They were replaced in Sierra Leone by the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1864, who made converts in large numbers not only among the pagans but also among the members of the then competing Christian churches. Etherington, Norman. Another important Catholic missionary in this area was the Irishman, Bishop Shanahan. A History of West Africa, Cambridge University Press, 1969, Fynn , J. K and R. Addo-Fening History for Senior Secondary schools. As negative as all these impacts of the missionaries undoubtedly were for the African pupils, the long-term consequences are arguably as serious. In 1950 Albert Academy was founded in Freetown; for-a long lime it was the secondary school in the Colony serving largely children from the provinces, among them were the future heads of state, Sir Milton Margai and Dr. Siaka Stevens. At the time of its inception, however, there was no publication that systematically or comprehensively addressed the enormous problems that characterized the education of Blacks in the United States and elsewhere. The consequences of norm conflicts are likely to manifest beyond educational pursuit. Two important private schools with strong Christian influence must also be mentioned: Accra High School, founded in 1923 and Accra Academy, established in The colonial Eritrean government ensured that native Eritreans received poor education by permitting them to only attend school up to the fourth grade (Miran 2002:127). Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Also the missionaries set up model farms where scientific agriculture was taught and new crops were introduced for the people, to go alongside longstanding indigenous production. J. G. Christaller produced a Twi Grammar and Dictionary. The original letters from abroad cover West Africa from 1899 to 1933. Lack of transport from the coast to the interior parts of West Africa was one of the major difficulties encountered by the missionaries. But the funds and other needed materials even when available could not reach their station in time. African prose For instance the scholar E.A. Among his pioneering achievements, he arranged for three youths to be sent to England for training as evangelists. Andrew Jackson Foster (1925-1987) was an American pioneer of deaf education in several countries in Africa. ABWE first began work in Ghana with a goal to reach unchurched Ghanaians in the Volta Region with the gospel and then to expand evangelism efforts to other parts of the country. Today almost all of the population is Presbyterian, although the ancestral royal cult and many spirit cults still flourish. Missionaries were no doubt also aware that Africans came to associate European technological achievement with Western education (Bassey 1991:45) and therefore offered Western education as a means to attract Africans of this belief and then convert them. However, attending mission schools also meant exposure to colonial indoctrination. The First Missionaries were sent as a result of a request by Major de Richelieu, Governor of Christiansborg. This decreased the zeal with which people began to accept the Gospel leading to nominal Christianity. Thomas Birch Freeman, son of a London-based West Indian father and an English mother. We shall begin with the positive contribution of the Christian missionaries in Ghana. For three years, he taught English and biblical ethics. Bamgboye & Company Press, 1976. WAEC The original letters from abroad cover West Africa from 1899 to 1933. In my study, I explored how colonial era conflicts and disagreements over marriage norms lastingly affected educational development. Who is Mrs. Konrad in Second Class Citizen? To their minds, Africans were too backward and needed help to become more civilized. This chapter traces the origins and long-term development of African mass education in colonial sub-Saharan Africa. Kalu, Ogbu. Hundreds of believers were baptized, branches organized, and a mission established. Johannes Zimmermann wrote a grammar of the Ga language, and in 1874 the Rev. However, the motivation behind teaching Africans basic literacy and mathematics might not have been a cause for concern if not for the fact that the religious motivation curtailed education. Vol. Following ordination, he was sent to Washington, D.C., and the Catholic University of America, where he earned a masters degree in English literature. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. After a time the idea becomes ingrained -it is heathen and unchristian to be an African culturally (Awori cited in Berman 1974:536). Shaw, Mark. As happened in Ghana, the development of training colleges in Nigeria was slower than secondary schools, though the C. M. S. had opened the first training college at Abeokuta as far back as 1849. The three models of Secondary education in Ghana since colonial times are the Mfantsipim School founded by the Church (mission) in 1876, Achimota School in 1927 established by the British Colonial government Longman Publishing Group, 1980. Porter, Andrew. Again, the missionaries helped to pacify Africans while their rich natural resources were being plundered by the colonial government. The blessings which Christianity has brought to West Africa are many. To apply, students simply fill out a quick form. He was very simple in dress and in the use of modern technology, Father Tetteh said. He told me that that amount of money could pay for school fees for five students in secondary school in Ghana.. Also, Christian missionaries in Ghana were as zealous as their counterparts in Nigeria in pioneering medical services. This post may contain affiliate links. They therefore set about to achieve this through introduction of formal education among the Batswana people. English comprehension West Africa and Christianity. Moreover, the Islamic religion was also being introduced to the southern section of the country by Muslim immigrants from the north of the colony. For the next decade, the Church grew in Ghana at an accelerated pace. senior high school economics Above, we have described the role that trading companies, missionaries, and the government played for the spread of Western education in the coastal areas from the late sixteenth century onwards. They often attributed natural ailments to supernatural causes and resorted to mystic cults to appease the unknown spirit, before applying medicine to the sick person. others adopted a system of education varied from one and the other hence, lacking consistency in the educational sector [3]. Moreover, mission education formed a poor foundation for future educational conditions in the former colonies. The quest for an all-inclusive development model of Ghana and other developing nations, therefore, calls for an insight into the role and responsibilities of religion toward education. senior high school government Besides, the missionaries had to travel longer distances to inland towns from their southern stations. Was this information useful? (As at December 2020). In fact, the Christian missionaries encouraged Ghanaians to reject African names and choose Christian names instead. Other missionaries opened mission stations in the country. He introduced the Methodist Church in Asante in 1839, and won the support of the Asante king, Otumfour Nana Kweku Duah I who reigned between 25th August 1834 to 27th April 1867).

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