COLONIAL SOCIAL SERVICES

Colonial Education

The Objectives of Colonial Education

Analyse the objectives of colonial education

The aim of establishing these social services was to consolidate and facilitate colonisation of Africa. That means they were built to favour the colonial government in power.

Starting from the 20^th century,colonial governments established a number of social services in Africa. Colonial economy. Examples of these colonial social services were:

1. Colonial education
2. Transport and communication
3. Recreational services
4. Water and electricity
5. Health services

The Features of Colonial Education

Analyse the features of colonial education

This was a type of formal education that was introduced by Europeans in Africa. This education was introduced to benefit the colonial government and not Africans. It went together with the establishment of schools high economic gain areas such as crop production areas.

Features of colonial education

1. Colonial education has a pyramid shape quality. The number of students who started at lower levels reduced as they went to higher levels.
2. Schools were built in areas with economic importance, such as the Kenyan highlands which were a prime are for coffee production.
3. Colonial education was discriminative in nature e.g. there were Asian schools, European schools and others for Africans.
4. Colonial education was provided to the sons of African chiefs e.g. sons of Jumbes and few daughters obtained this type of education.
5. Schools were built in urban areas and not rural one because that is where most settlers were.
6. Education was basically about European culture e.g. training involved the use of foreign languages such as English and French.

Role of colonial education

The role of colonial education are as follows:

1. To train Africans so they may be used as administrators for lowest posts e.g. messengers and clerks.
2. Colonial education was introduced to train the sons and daughters of European colonial masters together with Asians.
3. To produce African puppets who were brainwashed to favour the colonial government.

The Impact of Colonial Education on African Societies

Assess the impact of colonial education on African societies

Effects of colonial education

1. It produced educated elites who organised their fellow Africans to fight for independence e.g. J.K Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah.
2. Colonial education killed Africans' skills at large, these skills remained in theory.
3. It produced classes between the educated and those who were not educated
4. Colonial education led to the destruction of the African culture e.g. on dressing and eating.
5. Africans began to desire 'White' jobs, education was aimed to make one employable.

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