contribution of missionaries to education in ghana contribution of missionaries to education in ghana

Study for free with our range of university lectures! Teacher training colleges in Ghana did not expand as fast as the secondary schools. They were closed down in 1852 in favour of schools opened in Lagos which, in 1851, had one time British control. WAEC His immigrant Irish-born parents instilled faith and a firm work ethic in their sons. Governments are also not free from blame even if they had a laissez-faire educational policy, as in Ghana, where until 1944 the registration of schools was not required and no attempt was made to exert detailed control even over the activities of grant-aided [by the government] institutions except for a series of minimal registrations (Foster 1965:114). It would be wrong, however, to blame all these ills on the Christian missionaries alone. All work is written to order. These missionaries saw death in the course of their evangelizing work as a means to ascend to heavenly glory. Call: +233558280780, Your email address will not be published. History of the church in Africa: a survey. Debrunner, Hans Werner. We must not lose sight of the fact that the colonial government in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa relied on the activities of the missionaries to help them achieve the objectives of colonial rule. I have used my expertise to design and implement strategies for major projects including new programme development, global proposals, book launches, international talks, lectures, and executive . In 2006, Father Burke was appointed lecturer at the newly founded Catholic University College of Ghana in Sunyani. The American Episcopal Evangelical (A.M.E.) Zion Church owes its foundation in Ghana to Bishop J. Bryan Small, who started work first at Keta in 1898. The problems created by the white missionaries themselves arose largely from a misconception of what Africa represented. Efforts to change these norms were often aimed at women. Kalu, Ogbu. The Rev. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1995. African Drama Father Burke, whose students included Father Tetteh and Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle of Accra, arrived in Ghana, West Africa, in 1963, only four years after the country gained independence from Great Britain. Learn how your comment data is processed. After earlier unsuccessful attempts by the missionaries Chretien Proten, Henrick Huckuff and Jacobus Capitein, the Anglican, Rev. PDF Educational Reforms in Ghana: Past and Present Samuel Adu-Gyamfi1 The history of education in Ghana from the earliest times to the PDF Missions, Education and Conversion in Colonial Africa Also, Christian missionaries in Ghana were as zealous as their counterparts in Nigeria in pioneering medical services. In many instances, they made their converts rebel against traditional rulers and other spiritual leaders. A history of African Christianity 1950-1975. The missionaries seemed to have concentrated much of their effort on the production of export crops. 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. English grammar The struggle over polygamy is well-known to historians and anthropologists. Mission Statement It is important to emphasize that the modern history of the Christian Mission in Africa started from the late Eighteenth Century, the Catholics had been there earlier in the first centuries of the Christian era especially during the first Portuguese adventures. 4; img 109. Instead of adapting the teachings and practices of the new religion to suit indigenous values, as it did when the same Christian religion adopted Greek, Roman, German and Anglo-Saxon native practices, the early Christian missionaries condemned totally as pagan, and to be avoided by their converts, whatever they considered strange. While the protestant evangelical movements were gaining ground in West Africa, similar movements were being promoted by the Roman Catholic Church in Europe. This thesis discusses and assesses contribution of Christian Missionaries to education in Meru from 1908 to 1963. The missionaries believed that in order to stabilize the faith of converts and to assist in character development, it was necessary that they should be able to read the scriptures or other books of religious instruction, translated by the missions. Over time and with the dedication of teachers like Father Burke, the school rose to prominence. Initially, a majority of the missionary journeys was done with English-Speaking Protestants and later, in the 1820s and 1830s, they were joined by continental Protestantism from Germany, Switzerland and France. English They did a lot to impact the social and economic lives of Africans. Thus missionaries, by imparting education that promoted dependence on colonial rule, arguably contributed to the political instability that continues in the present day in many former African colonies, such as Kenya and Eritrea. As happened in other colonial territories, the government did not show great interest in the provision of education in Ghana until the missionaries had extended their services throughout the country and had set up primary schools and a few secondary schools and training colleges. The greatest problem faced by the early European Christian missionaries was, the tropical climate and health Hazards. Called the Iwe-Irohim, was published by the missionaries. The Christian Connector Scholarship. The latter, non-academic form of education provided by the missions has stimulated much interest among scholars, who are particularly interested in the failure of many of these schools and the hypocritical government support for the schools, seeing as the import of cheap goods from the mother countries caused many vocational school graduates, such as seamstresses, to be unemployed (Ayandele 1966:296; Foster 1965:134). Contribution of Christian Missionaries in Ghana - Cegast Academy The missionary activities in Nigeria, especially their educational programs helped to whip-up the consciousness of a shared identity and helped to train a new set of elite that championed the course of nationalism and constituted a virile leadership for the young nation at independence.Click to see full answer What is missionary education?A mission school or [] These missionary societies laid the foundations of the Roman Catholic Church in West Africa, which lasted through to the independence period when African clergy replaced the white pastors. In spite of all this, with the advent of the First World War in 1914 in the Kwaku District there were 21 congregations with a total of over 2500 members. Another important German missionary was Wilhelm Johannson, better known by the English version of his name, William Johnson, who is revered in the history of the CMS in West Africa. 2 (1983): 116-143. Being able to speak and write in the colonisers language was considered a privilege. Their arrival in South Africa was aimed particularly at spreading the Word of God. Of the ten largest congregations for men, the Society of the Divine Word is the fastest growing over the past 50 years. It is much easier to interact on an equal basis or even challenge the authority of another group when one is able to communicate in that groups language, instead of having to rely on an interpreter or non-verbal gestures, which undermine ones ability to show authority or express ones beliefs. In Ghana the Presbyterians were pioneers in reducing Ga and Twi into writing. Soon after the Methodist experiment, the church Missionary Society set up their own school at Badagry. The Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist and Anglican missions all made a major contribution to education in Ghana and Africa as a whole. One of them, Philip Quaque, returned in 1765 as an ordained priest. Secondary Schools in the Protectorate started later, following the establishment of Bo Government Secondary School in 1906. As one Eritrean student remarks, Our sisters [the Italian Sisters] would have undoubtedly taught better and more, but the Italian government in the colony did not permit Eritreans to get good instruction (T.T. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. endstream endobj 504 0 obj <>>>/Lang(en)/MarkInfo<>/Metadata 55 0 R/Outlines 135 0 R/Pages 498 0 R/StructTreeRoot 142 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 505 0 obj <>/MediaBox[0 0 612 792]/Parent 499 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageC]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/StructParents 0/Tabs/S/Type/Page>> endobj 506 0 obj <>stream Through hard work and persuasion she succeeded in stopping the practice among the people of killing twins. A tiny act of kindness is remembered by a young man in need. Earlier in 1846, the Rev. Hundreds of believers were baptized, branches organized, and a mission established. Missions, Education and Conversion in Colonial Africa By 1914 there were barely thirty schools in that vast area. Father Burke became director of the Divine Word Language and Cultural Centre in Ghana. Full article: Inequality of education in colonial Ghana: European Rather, it denationalized and facilitated the indignity and loss of cultural identity of the Ghanaian. In the days of Portuguese contacts with Nigeria, Catholic priests had established missionary stations in Benin and the neighbourhood. Moreover, the Islamic religion was also being introduced to the southern section of the country by Muslim immigrants from the north of the colony. With the exception of the first two volumes, marked "West Africa", these items are drawn from the volumes Series CWW. Mission education left an uneven legacy: an analysis of 26 African Although it can be said that Christian missionaries benefitted Africans by bringing in the more advanced Western education to the European colonies in Africa, it is believed that the mission schools in fact had a negative impact on the native peoples. These pioneer mission schools met with a discouraging response. ABWE is also at work in countries that restrict evangelism. Wm. These attempts were traumatic for the students and threatened the survival of unique cultures. Please click this link to download the chapter. Another contribution of missionaries to the development of Ghana was their pioneering role in writing many local languages. Other missionaries opened mission stations in the country. But despite the work of Portuguese missionaries based on the island of Sao Tome and later of Spanish missionaries in Benin, it was not until the nineteenth century that the Christian religion was firmly established in Nigeria. The next major Christian missionaries to go out to Sierra Leone were the Roman Catholics. For instance the scholar E.A. At the end of the eighteenth century, the Evangelical Revival began to bring to Africa an influx of missionaries whose laoburs would produce the first fruits of an enduring Christian presence in Sub-Sahara Africa. They include Sierra Leone 1900-1933; Ghana 1903; Cape Verde 1904-1910; and St Vincent 1907-1912. Education (2002), the latest committee to work on education reforms in Ghana, recommended a critical review and approach to making teacher education relevant to the devel-opment of the country. 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 restrictions intensified until in the second week of 1917, when all German missionaries were rounded up, brought to Accra and deportations began on December 16. 2: Trans-Saharan Trade. Their personal and family choices influenced the expansion speed of missionary education. Listen as we explore missions, theology, and practice to help senders and goers alike. West African Senior School Certificate Examination. The reservation of high-level positions in the colonial administrations for Europeans and the corresponding mission education that provided education fit only for lower positions meant that the withdrawal of European rule could cause serious political instability in the newly independent colonies. Operational Christianity started 267 Years ago. Some of these new crops were grapes coffee, mango, ginger, and olives. After earlier unsuccessful attempts by the missionaries Chretien Proten, Henrick Huckuff and Jacobus Capitein, the Anglican, Rev. Missionary, educator contributed to building independent Ghana They also prescribed many taboos which, in the light of modern medical science, had no relation whatever with the illness being treated. This comes at no extra cost to you. The coming of the Christian missionaries to Ghana had a positive impact on agriculture. The lead was followed by other missionaries, notably the Roman Catholic, whose first higher institution was St Edwards Secondary School in Freetown. They also introduced vocational education in the country. He had a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This was a bitter pill for the Basel Mission to swallow after 19 years of devoted service in the mission field in the Gold Coast but they were not dismayed when they considered that in education and agriculture and artisan training and in the development of commerce, and medical services and concern for social welfare of the people, the name Basel by the time of expulsion of the mission from the country, had become a treasured word in the minds of the people. 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. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. For example, the missionaries preached against certain aspects of African culture they considered barbaric or satanic or both. A history of Christianity in Ghana. In 1880, two Roman Catholic priests of the Society of African Missions (S.M.A. For the West Africans, the acceptance of Christianity meant the total rejection of most of the cherished institutions upon which their society rested. These contradictions are surprisingly absent from contemporary research. Brief History - PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GHANA As long as the Africans could read the Bible, the missionaries were satisfied that they had had enough academic education. government questions This special relationship continued until 1960 when Fourah Bay became a college of the newly reconstituted University of Sierra Leone; the other constituent college located at Njala developed from a training college founded in 1920. This decreased the zeal with which people began to accept the Gospel leading to nominal Christianity. The American Episcopal Evangelical (A.M.E.) Zion Church owes its foundation in Ghana to Bishop J. Bryan Small, who started work first at Keta in 1898. Among other things the regulations required that all teachers should be registered, and a minimum salary was fixed. CONTRIBUTION OF CHRISTIANITY TO WEST AFRICA. Etherington, Norman. The Christian missionaries of different missionary societies made a tremendous contribution to education in South Africa. African prose Church history, history of Christianity, religious history: some reflections on British missionary enterprise since the late eighteenth century. Church History 71, no. Porter, Andrew. The Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist and Anglican missions all made a major contribution to education in Ghana and Africa as a whole. university courses The original letters from abroad cover West Africa from 1899 to 1933. This hymn sums up the reasons why the Christian missionaries came to Africa and other parts of the world. This is the famous Presbyterian Teacher Training College founded in 1848 at Akropong-Akwapim. There were related organizations that sprang up in Scandinavia, Holland and the USA. Establishment of Christian Churches In Nigeria. Some early success included the Liberian coast where Afro-Americans and freed slaves were converted. Besides, the missionaries had to travel longer distances to inland towns from their southern stations. Establishment of Christian Churches In Sierra Leone. Request Permissions. Hilliard, F.H., 1957. ), Father Auguste Moreau and Father Eugene Murat, arrived at Elmina and revived the Roman Catholic Church in Ghana. 1991. These new movements considered such ventures to be their contribution to Europes reparation for centuries of exploitation of Africans, reparation for the centuries of exploitation which the Trans Atlantic slave trade had caused to African society. Human Zoos: Untold History of Suppression, The Legend of King Ulu (Ancient Thai Folklore), The Kingdom of Saud of The Arabs (Saudi Arabia), The Wesley Brothers of Oxford University (1700s), Razia Sultan of Medieval India (786 Years Ago), The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (The Revelation), Education in Africa: The Impact of Colonialism, Why The Legendary Geneva Bible was Banned. churches were firmly established in several important towns, such as Abeokuta (1846), Lagos (1851), Ibadan (1853), and Oyo (1856). For this reason, missionaries believed they were doing their students a favour by discouraging traditional practices and promoting Western ones. Contribution of Christian Missionaries in Ghana, Reasons Why Christian Missionaries Came to Africa, Discontinuation of Outmoded Cultural Practices, Negative Effects of Missionary Activities, Negative Impact on Traditional Authorities, Limited Support for The Production of Local Food Crops. 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. They were to spread the message of the Gospel, render social services to the people and to assist in the suppression of slavery and the slave trade. essay writing B. et al. A notable example was the Asafo Company, a purely military and social organisation of the peoples of Ghana, which was condemned by the early missionaries because of its presumed connection with fetish practices. In Ghana, for instance, they persuaded their converts to reject polygamy and human sacrifice. The activities of the early Christian missionaries negatively affected the development of African traditional political institutions. Their educational activities helped spread literacy and vocational skills training among Ghanaians. In 1989-90, the government banned the activities of several religious organizations, including the Church. For more than a year, Ghanaian Saints continued to practice their faith in their homes. History DISCLOSURE. Third, rivalry between the various Christian denominations also contributed to the poor standards of education. Within ten years of Father Bergheros visit, the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria had become so well established that it ceased to be under administration from Dahomey. Buchi Emecheta Europe in those days looked upon Africa as the Dark Continent with very primitive civilizations, and most Europeans refused to adapt their religion to suit the local situation. Thus, as early as 1823, the Roman Catholic sisters started a clinic for the sick and for children in Banjul. 6: Christian Missionary Activities in West Africa The Journal of Negro Education (JNE), a refereed scholarly periodical, was founded at Howard University in 1932 to fill the need for a scholarly journal that would identify and define the problems that characterized the education of Black people in the United States and elsewhere, provide a forum for analysis and solutions, and serve as a vehicle for sharing statistics and research on a national basis. If a government fails to regulate schools at all, they have no right to complain that the education in their colony is poor. The resulting atmosphere of disunity enabled the European colonialists to easily achieve their goal of economic exploitation. %PDF-1.7 % This Western education imparted to the Ameru by the Church of Scotland Missionaries, Consolata . 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. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. In 1954, he became the first Deaf African American to earn a bachelor's degree from Gallaudet University, the American university for the Deaf, and the first to earn a master's degree from Eastern Michigan University.He earned a second master's degree from Seattle Pacific Christian . However, the discovery of quinine and other curative medicines in the late 19th century made the history of the missionary work in West Africa a different thing altogether. To put it differently, the motive was to gain acceptance in the sight of God so that after death they would be judged kindly by the heavenly father. Christian converts were indoctrinated to frown upon the use of indigenous first names in favour of Christian ones. The practice of inflicting multiple wounds on the bodies of so-called spirit babies now belongs to history. 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. In 1859, the first newspaper in Yoruba. Although Lokoja had a small C.M.S. Babalola, E. O. Christianity in West Africa. Soon after the start of elementary schools, the missionaries started opening higher institutions also. Initially, their activities focused on coastal areas. The Methodists, known as the Wesleyan Missionaries (after their founder), arrived in Freetown in 1811. The first batch, who came out between 1804 and 1806, included pioneer missionaries like Renner and Nylander. However, as Jonathan Miran (2002) argues in his work on the roles of missionaries and the Italian state in Eritrean education, missionaries should not be held solely accountable for the poor standards of education. Ghana Missionaries | Learn about Christian missions efforts in Ghana - ABWE This study simply offers systematic, long-term evidence of it.