Education The Social Construction of Africa and Africans in the Western Media
Using Binyavanga Wainaina’s satirical essay “How to Write About Africa, Saine, Aidoo, & Hess “The Social Construction of Africa and Africans in the Western Media,” and Keim’s “How We Learn,” as your point of reference, discuss some of the myths and stereotypes popularly held about the continent of Africa and its people in the Western World? What has shaped this general attitude and mindset about Africa? What is your role as a budding scholar in dispelling these myths and stereotypes?
History of Educational development in Africa
In the article ‘Educational Development in Modern Africa: History, Politics, and Challenges” authors Ogechi E. Anyanwu and Chukwunenye C. Njoku reveal and explain the way how Africa and education there have been developed for more than hundred years. Education in precolonial Africa had rich traditions and was based, as UNESCO stated, on four pillars “learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and learning to live together”. This method, unfortunately, narrowed the possibility to have the other way of learning and the volume of acquired knowledge. In nineteenth century, when religion was had been reborn, the interior exploration of Africa started. Europeans opened many missionary schools of teaching Christianity for native citizens. Such schools made a significant contribution in adaptation of Africa to the world society. When colonizers came to occupy African territories they understood necessity of people who could be useful for European citizens. Mainly primary and secondary schools were developed, because governments of European colonizers were afraid of rebellions with higher education.
In the middle of 20th century when the local governments had gained authority over primary and secondary schools they started a campaign of education for everyone. Still state of high education in Africa left much to be desired. In 1962 at the conference African countries decided to join their efforts and provide as many universities as society needed. Since then the amount of both high schools and students had risen significantly. Usually schools were funded by the state, but after economy crises in 1980 it became difficult to run them. After that the policy of privatization became popular in Africa. There are still many problems of higher education and its need to be planned where to move further, but the positive point is the governments make steps to improve it.
Work citied
Nnoromele, Salome, and Ogechi Emmanuel Anyanwu. “Educational Development in Modern Africa : History, Politics, and Challenges.” (re) Tracing Africa: A Multi-disciplinary Study of African History Societies and Cultures / Salome C. Nnoromele, Ogechi E. Anyanwu.First ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall Hunt, 2012. 89 – 102. Print.
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