Education: Gateway to Africa’s Development

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Education which is an evolving process of a rare kind, has been given certain volatile definitions by scholars and contemporary historians. The process of education has spanned through the ancient times, down to the medieval period, where it was characterised by effective enlightenment – through the contemporary age.

According to Merit Students Encyclopedia (1981), education is “a process by which people develop knowledge, skill, ability, learn character, especially through formal institution, training and study”. Nduka (1964) on the other hand, expresses the cultural side of it. In a whole, education has the core bearings that cut across all spheres of life.

Apparently, there are two major forms of education: the formal and informal forms of education. But for the purpose of this work, I would be giving fundamental attention on the formal aspect of education. And I would be using Nigeria, Ghana, and a few other countries in Africa, as a case study in giving major examples on the effect of education in Africa. 

In Africa, the value given to the education cannot be over stressed! However, the cradle of education in the continent has been eloquently traced to the West. In this regard, the earliest formal schools were founded in West Africa, attached to the castles in the Gold Coast – the modern day Ghana. There were three of such schools; the oldest was established at Elmina by the Dutch West Indian Company in 1644, and placed under the control of the Castle Chaplain for the education of the mulatto children for whom they felt some responsibility.

In Nigeria, western education was introduced into the country by the Portuguese who visited Benin in the second half of the 15th century (Hubbard, 1948). Consequently, early Christian missionaries from Europe further embraced the onus of spreading western education across most African countries during the colonial era, as it was in the case of Gold Coast – the modern day Ghana.

It is however important to note at this point, that prior to the advent of western education, there were traditional educational institutions that made informal learning available to the indigenous people of Africa in commonly known as the precolonial era.

Missionary activities in Africa began as early as the late fifteenth century following the successful exploratory missions sponsored by Prince Henry ”the Navigator” of Portugal. In addition to the level of education borough by Christian missionary bodies like the CMS, young Africans like kwame Nkrumah and Nmandi Azikiwe, who were voracious for knowledge, found their way to Europe where they gathered substantial knowledge that enhanced the quest of nationalism in Africa through further studies.

Ostensibly, the fact that education played an irreplaceable role in the attainment of Africa’s independence, its growth, and development, cannot be over emphasized. As a matter of fact, the battle for independence wouldn’t have been evenly easy for the core nationalist who were at the vanguard for Africa’s quest for against colonialism without the exposures and sophistications gotten from education.

THE GATEWAY: THE MAJOR WAY!

Having x-rayed the history of western education in Africa in the preceding section of this article and its impacts on nationalism, growth and development in Africa, I can confidently assert therefore, that education is indeed the “gateway” to Africa’s development. The bare truth is that even at the level, the continent has gotten in the area of substantial development and growth through the instrumentality of education, there are still a huge reliance on education to create new frontiers and to consolidate on the myriad of these processes achieved so far.

A continent that really wants to grow and expand its tentacles wide enough to contend with other first world countries at the global radar, must first of all, prioritized and invest largely in education. Personally, I’m advocating for a concerted attention continentally on education as an instrument of growth and sustainable development in Africa. Education indeed contributed immensely to what Africa is today; and to say that Africa as a continent would experience colossal transformation upholding the value and structures of education .

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had mandated that at least 26% of its member nation’s budget should be allotted to education. But so many countries today, especially in Africa, have not kept to this recommendation from the UNESCO. Even Nigeria, my very own country of origin, is yet to implement the UNESCO’s budgetary recommendation on education. Many other African countries have also defaulted in this regard – forgetting that the future of the continent is to a large extent dependent on government investment in education.

Quite frankly, the educational sector has to be accorded its due attention in the continental menu of developmental plans – especially those with long term implications. Various government in Africa should overhaul its educational system in order to strengthen it for its country at the long run.

Furthermore, I duly suggest that Non governmental organizations with the core purpose of contributing their quotas to educational development and sustenance, should be set up by experienced individuals in the field of education – preferably, ex student leaders and retired civil servants in the various ministries of education in Africa.

Observantly, the various student movements in the continent haven’t been able to completely address the myriad of challenges that have replete Africa’s educational system for some time. These student movements need a very firm complimentary role from formidable education NGOs in order to be able to address the growing spate of challenges that have plunged the various sectors of education in the continent. Cognizably, the only sector that is lagging behind in voluntary services like that provided by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa is the educational sector.

Nelson Mandiba Mandela, South-Africa’s first democratically elected President, opines that, “education is the greatest weapon that can be used to change the world.” Invariably, our own patriarch, ‘Mandiba’, reaffirms the power of education in nation building and individual development with those immortal words of his. As a young African, I so much believe that even in the resting place of ‘Mandiba’ still believes in changing Africa and the wider world with the weaponry of education.

I wish to however, conclude this article, by calling on all stakeholders of the ‘African Project’, distinguished compatriots of the African race, progressives in the field of education, nongovernmental organizations in the area of education and other cognate parties, to reach out for some concerted efforts in changing the dwindling narrative of education in our great continent, Africa.

Clearly speaking, the huge chunk of freedom we enjoy today across different countries of this great continent of ours – Africa, was birthed with the paraphernalia of education as judiciously used by the early Africa’s educated elites – who were pathfinders and trail blazers in Africa’s quest for independence. Succinctly put, education acquired by Africa’s earliest elites paved the way for Africa’s independence, preliminary growth, political and economic development.

Lest we forget, the greatest legacy we would leave behind to the younger generation in Africa is that of education. Even after our death, the legacy of education would remain preserved as a veritable tool for cultural, political and economic development: and as a gateway for Africa’s collective progress in decades to come.

Written by: ASESI Volunteer