contribution of missionaries to education in ghana

B. et al. Missionaries continued to be the main providers of education even after colonial powers established control during the so-called Scramble for Africa which occurred between 1884-1914. Indeed, most of our early nationalists were all products of mission schools. After completing that assignment, Father Burkes superiors asked him to teach English as a second language (ESL) to Divine Word missionaries who did not know the language. It is possible to hear the tune of this missionary hymn. After earlier unsuccessful attempts by the missionaries Chretien Proten, Henrick Huckuff and Jacobus Capitein, the Anglican, Rev. 4>Ofv}TMdQ! The missions agricultural schools were especially beneficial for colonial governments considering that governments believed that manual labour was a means to prevent discontent and unrest in the tribes (Hansen 1984:232). This made it difficult for the early missionaries to stay in the country for long. Private Study Website design and development by Americaneagle.com, Inc, Society of the Divine Word- Western Province, Society of the Divine Word- Southern Province. In an ironic twist, the more Africans became versed in the Bible, the more they began to challenge missionaries. Soon after secondary schools were opened in other parts of southern Nigeria, including Bonny High School, which was taken over by government in 1904. However, with time, they brought some crops, which they cultivated and which sustained them. From 1870 to 1914 the Basel Mission succeeded in extending its work from the Akwapim Ridge to Kwahu, Akim and Asante and across the Volta as far as Yendi the north in 1913. 0 Was this information useful? It was not until the nineteenth century, that the new religion was really established in West Africa. Thus as early as 1823, the Roman Catholic Sisters started a clinic for the sick and for children in Banjul. 4; img 109. An Alumnus of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, a Journalist, Author and a Philanthropist. The high temperatures coupled with high rainfall patterns in some parts of the country experienced during the daytime, made the missionaries stay indoors, which slowed down their activities. cited in Miran 2002:128). If a government fails to regulate schools at all, they have no right to complain that the education in their colony is poor. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. The early missionaries set up craft centres as part of their educational programmes. Debate Speech: Religion Has Failed Society, A Speech Outlining the Achievements and Problems of Your School, 7 Factors Accounting for the Shortage of Capital In West Africa, The Resurrection of Jesus According to Marks Gospel. By focusing on the African demand for education, I showed that Africans were not just passive recipients of mission schooling. 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. Agricultural school graduates did not compete with European industries or European farmers, as they mainly grew crops that could not be grown in European climates. 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. . To apply, students simply fill out a quick form. Help those suffering in Turkey and Syria. Thus, as early as 1823, the Roman Catholic sisters started a clinic for the sick and for children in Banjul. The lead was followed by other missionaries, notably the Roman Catholic, whose first higher institution was St Edwards Secondary School in Freetown. Their personal and family choices influenced the expansion speed of missionary education. 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). In the field of education, however, the missionaries had to adjust their programmes to fit in with the policy of assimilation. Non-African Poetry Hope Waddell of the Church of Scotland had opened a school at Duke Town, Calabar. There were no Bibles in local languages, likewise grammar books were scant, so the missionaries had to spend time learning local languages, and translated the Bible and wrote series of grammar books. In such situations, the message sometimes appealed to the local people depending on the efficiency of the interpreter. In 1876 the college became associated with Durham University in England, which awarded degrees to students of the college. It is obvious that the main reason why the missionaries came to Ghana was to convert the indigenous people to the Christian faith. This research was funded by the European Research Council. Another important missionary doctor was J. R. Stephen who for many years headed a missionary hospital at Ilesha. During the first half of the 19th century they targeted healthier places, with relatively lower malaria-risk, where European missionaries could survive and train local African missionaries and teachers (Jedwab et al. Furthermore, mission schools discouraged traditional ways of life outside of the classroom. In the British colonies, as elsewhere, religious missions were instrumental in introducing European-style education. The activities of the early Christian missionaries negatively affected the development of African traditional political institutions. Upon completing his degree, Father Burke received his first assignment abroad: Ghana, the first Black sub-Saharan country in Africa to gain independence from a colonial power. That there are parallels between contemporary Christian organizations efforts and the missionary efforts of the mid-nineteenth to mid- twentieth centuries is a reason for concern, considering the similar impact of missionaries of all Christian denominations on the education of Africans in the British and Italian colonies in Africa. A History of West Africa, Cambridge University Press, 1969, Fynn , J. K and R. Addo-Fening History for Senior Secondary schools. ), Father Auguste Moreau and Father Eugene Murat, arrived at Elmina and revived the Roman Catholic Church in Ghana. Lack of transport from the coast to the interior parts of West Africa was one of the major difficulties encountered by the missionaries. In traditionally monogamous societies, primary school completion increased by about eight percent, but only four percent in polygamous societies. S.J. In the Western Region, the Catholic Sisters running a hospital at Eikwe specialized in maternity cases, and like Slessor in Nigeria succeeded in stamping out the practice of killing twins at birth. Let's look in-depth into these scholarships. The Portuguese were the first to introduce the Christian faith into West Africa but following their departure from the West Coast in the mid-seventeenth century, the Christian religion survived only in Upper Guinea where a bishop was maintained in the Cape Verde Islands serving also a part of the mainland. 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. For instance, the Basel Mission established the first teacher training college in Ghana. hbbd```b``vd d"e ] DrI`5 d"(/ Series CLS. An attempt to respond to this question informs the underlying interest for this paper, namely, to explore the extent to which these institutions, especially . Over time and with the dedication of teachers like Father Burke, the school rose to prominence. History books tended to exaggerate in achievements of Europeans, making no reference to Africans own great past. Hundreds of believers were baptized, branches organized, and a mission established. Some of the missionaries came with them (549 years ago) but many died from the cruel tropical weather of forested West Africa. (As at December 2020). Instruction in the Colonial School and the Wesleyan Mission schools at Cape Coast Castle was in English despite the fact that Fanti was the language of the native people. The Committee for Women's Work was responsible for the education of native girls. Father Tetteh also took note of Father Burkes humility and devotion to his students. These missions significantly influenced the systematic educational development in the Gold Coast. He also blogs at BloggingtotheMax.com. Wed love to get to know you and discuss how God is calling you. 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. New team members can be part of establishing a biblical foundation for the next generation of believers, the growth of nationally-led churches, and church planting in Ghana. Roman Catholic and Anglican missionaries came to the Gold Coast from the 15th century. In such asituation, provisions and other things had to be sent into the country not in large quantities as would have been desired by the missionaries. Up to Guggisbergs time, the church schools did not receive grants from the government. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. And thats why I decided to look deeply into this issue. For instance, in southern Nigeria, the CMS policy was to teach in the vernacular at the primary level, while the Roman Catholic Missions policy was to teach in English (Bassey 1991:42). He worked zealously as an evangelist and schoolmaster in the Castle School until his death in 1816. The others include the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804, which was tasked with the responsibility of promoting the translation and printing of the Holy Bible. One Liberian student recalls that we were taught to dress properly, to eat properly, to speak properly. Although the aim of the traders was to practice commerce Then lets begin straightaway. However, accustomed to monogamy, few European missionaries were open to such arguments. Besides, the missionaries had to travel longer distances to inland towns from their southern stations. The early success of the missionaries included areas like Freetown and surrounding villages. We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. Like the Methodists, the Roman Catholic missionaries spread the faith notably in the interior, which later became Protectorate. Although modern scientific research has confirmed the medicinal properties of these concoctions, traditional medical practice had several shortcomings. After earlier unsuccessful attempts by the missionaries Chretien Proten, Henrick Huckuff and Jacobus Capitein, the Anglican, Rev. 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. 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 . Initially, their activities focused on coastal areas. In the Gambia, as happened in other territories, the Christian missionaries did not confine their work to the spread of the Gospel alone. The training college later became part of Achimota College. 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. As a member of the Church of England, it interests me to see echoes of Christian educational efforts by organizations such as Compassion Canada in the educational efforts of the missionary branch of the Anglican Church, the Church Missionary Society, or CMS. The last two decades have witnessed the emergence of privately owned higher education institutions in Nigeria, including those owned by religious bodies and even by their individual members. The Missionary Factor in Ghana's Development, pp.11 &135 categorically asserted that economic and social changes were brought about by the total effect of the various projects initiated by the. Christianity reborn: the global expansion of evangelicalism in the twentieth century. The next major Christian missionaries to go out to Sierra Leone were the Roman Catholics. better grades He was followed, three years afterwards, by the Rev. In Fanteland, the Methodists and Roman Catholics pioneered similar works. Among other things the regulations required that all teachers should be registered, and a minimum salary was fixed. They also prescribed many taboos which, in the light of modern medical science, had no relation whatever with the illness being treated. As happened in other West African countries, many more mission-sponsored hospitals were founded in the course of the twentieth century.

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