African contribution to the growth of secular education in North Nyanza, 1920-1945
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Date
2012-05-25
Authors
Mukudi, Edith Simba
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Abstract
This thesis discusses the contribution of Africans towards the growth of secular education in the historical North Nyanza District of Kenya from 1920 to 1945. The main focus of the study is, however, on the inter-war African endeavors to extend African education through the official government channel - The Local Native Council (LNC). As a prerequisite to understanding the post-world War I African orientation with regard to the development of their education, an examination has been made of the three main determining factors. These are the growth and nature of mission education by 1924; Africans' response to that education by 1924; and the extent of the colonial establishment's participation in the field of African education by 1924.
The thesis shows that although Christian missions did pioneer in the establishment of Western schooling in Colonial Kenya, none of the missionary societies at work in North Nyanza district had developed a qualitatively efficient education system for Africans by 1930. It also reveals that the colonial government contribution towards the advancement of African education in the district was until then very minimal. Besides the limited grants awarded to a few selected mission schools, its only other tangible contribution was the Bukura Agricultural Institute established in 1924. The study subsequently shows that it was in the light of these developments that Africans made the decision to steer their own course of action and establish a higher education facility - a goal which they achieved in 1932.
The thesis further gives a short history of the development of the Kakamega secular school and its impact on mission education and society up to 1945. The essence of this discussion is to ascertain the contribution of Africans towards the development of the school and the justification for its establishment. The study concludes by revealing that Africans were, indeed, active contributors in the development of their education in colonial Kenya. Their contribution was in the following areas: finance; labour and materials for the establishment of the educational institutions; and teaching force.
Besides discussing African contribution to colonial education in Kenya, the study suggests other possible areas for further investigation. These include a thorough study on missionary contribution to colonial education in North Nyanza; detailed work on the colonial government role in the educational advancement of Africans in Kenya; and a full history of the Kakamega School from its inception to the present. If undertaken, these studies would be an added contribution to the historiography of history of education.
Description
The LC 118 .K4 M8
Keywords
Education - Kenya - Nyanza, North - history