Their arrival in South Africa was aimed particularly at spreading the Word of God. Christian Religious Studies Rev. The activities of the early Christian missionaries negatively affected the development of African traditional political institutions. wassce literature questions. university courses The early Christian missions concentrated their activities not only on religious matters. The mission schools trained Africans to be able to work as translators, messengers and office clerks for the colonial government. Although the aim of the traders was to practice commerce In spite of the division, the parent Methodist missionary church played an important role in the history of Christianity in Sierra Leone. However, the early missionaries established medical centres, at first at their mission posts, and later far and wide, to attend to the sick. Moreover, it was not in the colonial powers interest for the natives to become too educated, as they might become self-reliant and could conceivably demand independence from the colonial power, so encouraging the less intellectual agricultural schools was in the governments interest. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd, Bristol Archives/Universal Images Group/Getty Images, Committee Member - MNF Research Advisory Committee, PhD Scholarship - Uncle Isaac Brown Indigenous Scholarship. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. PDF OVERVIEW OF EDUCATION IN GHANA - WikiEducator Call: +233558280780, Your email address will not be published. Soon after the start of elementary schools, the missionaries started opening higher institutions also. Even if secondary education was provided, it was often reserved for the sons of local chiefs (Oliver 1952:212; Beck 1966: 120), an elite the colonial government could then call upon to help rule the colony, a common practice in colonial Africa. 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. Operating from Whydah in what is today the Peoples Republic of Benin (formerly Dahomey), Father Berghero, in 1860, visited Abeokuta and Lagos where freed Catholic slaves from Brazil welcomed him warmly. Other Roman Catholic hospitals were built in all the nine regions of the country; including those at Asikuma and Foso (Central Region), Akyem Swedru (Eastern Region), Berekum (BrongAhafo), Maase (Asante Region) and Anfoega (Volta Region). 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. Other difficulties they faced were the problems of the many languages and dialects and their ignorance of the true meaning of the various cultures, beliefs, values and ways of life of the people whom they set out to convert to Christianity. Hope Waddell was later joined by the Rev. In short, the impact of teaching in the vernacular was more negative than positive, as it reinforced colonial rule and no doubt did very little to preserve native cultural identities, seeing as missionaries promoted European languages as superior and only used the vernacular because conversion and religious instruction were such high priorities. They also introduced vocational education in the country. The third, St Nicholas Grammar School (now Adisadel College), was founded by the Anglican Church in 1910. Yet, the relationship between European missionaries and African populations had some contradictions. It would be wrong, however, to blame all these ills on the Christian missionaries alone. A special memorial Mass was celebrated at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra, Ghana, on Oct. 9. So why did the European missionaries come to Ghana and other parts of Africa? First, missions saw education foremost as a means of conversion (Ayandele 1966: 286; Bassey 1991: 36; Berman 1974:527; Foster 1965:85; Sheffield 1973:11). senior high school history The quest for an all-inclusive development model of Ghana and other developing nations, therefore, calls for an insight into the role and responsibilities of religion toward education. In 1859, the first newspaper in Yoruba. History of the church in Africa: a survey. hbbd```b``vd d"e ] DrI`5 d"(/ The greatest problem faced by the early European Christian missionaries was, the tropical climate and health Hazards. Yes! Asuikante Gabriella Atengdem - Senior Research Assistant - University The Methodists founded the Boys High School in 1874, and another high school for girls six years later. The first batch, who came out between 1804 and 1806, included pioneer missionaries like Renner and Nylander. In Sierra Leone, the Church Missionary Society (CMS), offshoot of the Anglican Church, was the first to become firmly established chiefly among the freed captive and freed slave settlers from Britain, Nova Scotia and other parts of the New World. Are you ready to discover the points for an essay on the contribution of the Christian mission to the social and economic development of Ghana? The others include the French trading posts at Grand Bassam (Ivory Coast), Assinie and Libreville in Gabon. Missionaries and the intellectual history of Africa: a historical survey. Itinerario 7, no. J. C. Taylor, in these parts of southern Nigeria can still be seen today. While colonial administration in colonies such as Kenya attempted to some degree to provide training for Kenyans to fill the high-level positions (Sheffield 1973:86), the attempts in many cases fell short, and when the European administration left, Kenya, for instance, had few sufficiently educated replacements (Sheffield 1973:88). 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. 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. Despite their significant contributions to education, local language development, agriculture and the economy as a whole, the missionaries have been criticized severally. And traditionally polygamous societies would have higher educational outcomes today. Discipleship and leadership development are needed in order to support local churches and their growth in Ghana. About the same time, the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) headed by the Rev. All the three secondary schools in Cape Coast were mission institutions. Young Vincent began his studies with the Society of the Divine Word at Divine Word Seminary at Miramar in Massachusetts in 1947. 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). Support earthquake relief and outreach efforts, biblical foundation for the next generation of believers. Apart from the extreme south and the Horn, the interior was hardly touched by Europeans before the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century. In 1880, two Roman Catholic priests of the Society of African Missions (S.M.A. Find below a list of mission schools that still exist in Ghana today. They were closed down in 1852 in favour of schools opened in Lagos which, in 1851, had one time British control. New missionary societies (the LMS, the CMS, the Holy Ghost Fathers, the White Fathers, etc.) While they frowned upon bridewealth, female genital cutting, or matrilineality, they held a special grudge against polygamy. This Western education imparted to the Ameru by the Church of Scotland Missionaries, Consolata . Among his pioneering achievements, he arranged for three youths to be sent to England for training as evangelists. Later that year, in recognition of his service to the Ghanaian people, President John Dramani Mahama bestowed the honor of Officer of the Order of Volta upon him. 503 0 obj <> endobj DISCLOSURE. 2 (1983): 116-143. Foremost in the contribution of the early Christian missionaries to the development of Ghana is their efforts to bring Western education to Ghanaians. Cookies are small, safe and secure text files that sit on your computer which we use to give you a better experience on our site and help us improve the service that we provide to you. The missionaries also greatly improved the health services. 1931. In addition to teaching, he served as national spiritual director of the Ghana Sacred Heart Enthronement Centre and spiritual director of the Accra Diocesan Sacred Heart Centre. He moved to Techny in 2016. They even considered traditional drumming and African clothing as practices that were not worthy in the sight of the Lord. But Annor (1989) writes that before Europeans came to colonize Africa, Africans had a way of producing artifacts. Longman Group Ltd. London and Basingstoke, 1986, Fage, J.D. . And thats why I decided to look deeply into this issue. A large body of studies show that missionaries had a lasting impact beyond their early years. 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. Catholic Higher Education and Mission in Nigeria: The Contributions of Also, Christian missionaries in Ghana were as zealous as their counterparts in Nigeria in pioneering medical services. This box contains: the correspondence of Bishop See thematic groupings of our digital collections, See all of our digital collections in one place, Ghana in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1886-1951, Copies of letters received, 1890-1927; West Africa, vol. As happened in Ghana, the development of training colleges in Nigeria was slower than secondary schools, though the C. M. S. had opened the first training college at Abeokuta as far back as 1849. The missionaries condemned African religion, music, art, festivals and customary practices. 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. For instance, on 2nd October 1792, the Baptist Missionary Society was formed followed by the interdenominational London Missionary Society which was established in 1795. Among several others, the native Bishop Ajayi Crowther produced the first translation of the Bible in Yoruba. Brief History. The Presbyterians, also, opened hospitals in several parts of the country, including the one at Agogo in Asante-Akyem. 2: Trans-Saharan Trade. Nevertheless, the first higher institution in Ghana, now the Presbyterian Training College at Akuapem Akropon, was established in 1848, first as a centre for training catechists, and later to train teachers as well as ministers of the Presbyterian Church. 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. John G. Christaller (described as the Father of Twi Literature) produced a Twi grammar and dictionary, a collection of Twi proverbs, a Twi translation of the Bible as well as prayers and hymns. famous poems Father Vincent Burke SVD, 83, recipient of Ghanas Officer of the Order of Volta Award, passed away at Techny, Ill., on Sept. 21. CONTRIBUTION OF CHRISTIANITY TO WEST AFRICA. However, attending mission schools also meant exposure to colonial indoctrination. Full article: Inequality of education in colonial Ghana: European Meanwhile, the Scottish missionary, Mary Slessor, had established a reputation in the Cross River area as a nurse. 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 Website design and development by Americaneagle.com, Inc, Society of the Divine Word- Western Province, Society of the Divine Word- Southern Province. 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. Clarke, Peter Bernard. For this reason, missionaries believed they were doing their students a favour by discouraging traditional practices and promoting Western ones. Although Lokoja had a small C.M.S. skills for his or her future role in the society (Hetherington, 1979; Davidoff, 1980; Aboagye, 1997). Development of Education in Sierra Leone. Lake Volta provides a vital venue for aviation evangelism in remote areas. Although there were many disagreements between European missionaries and African populations, antagonising polygamy is probably the best-documented norm conflict. crs questions and anwers Contribution of the Methodist Church to education in Ghana The pastors of the Church Missionary Society, from Badagry and later from Sierra Leone, visited these Christian communities in Abeokuta and other towns. Born in Cambridge, Mass., in 1933, Vincent Burke was the third of Walter and Eleanor (nee McGoff) Burkes four sons. Let's look in-depth into these scholarships. Given the fluctuating standards between schools and regions and the lack of qualified teachers in the mission schools which had monopolies in well into the mid-twentieth century, it should come as little surprise that the quality of education continues to be a concern in many former colonies. 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. Senior High School Literature The colonial Eritrean government ensured that native Eritreans received poor education by permitting them to only attend school up to the fourth grade (Miran 2002:127). In fact, the Christian missionaries encouraged Ghanaians to reject African names and choose Christian names instead. 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). It is interesting to note that while in many ways missionaries sought to isolate students from their cultures, missionaries often insisted in teaching in the native languages. All work is written to order. For instance, the Basel Mission established the first teacher training college in Ghana. *You can also browse our support articles here >. education was an important means for mission evangelization. In Sierra Leone, among the earliest higher institutions which the C.M.S. Further, the missionaries introduced improved methods of farming together with modern farm implements. People all around the world are searching for hope, but many dont have someone to tell them about the hope found in Jesus. One method of discouraging traditional practices was to give students a fully Western education. Alignment is the degree of congruence between your teaching philosophy and your institution's mission. Request Permissions. 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. What are the contribution of the missionaries? - Alqatirat For that matter, they rebelled against their chiefs and elders. The original Yaba College in Lagos has grown into a polytechnic. Henry Townsend who went from Sierra Leone to Badagry in 1842 in his company was the Rev Ajayi Crowther. In short, it was a very successful mission in making us little black Anglo-Saxon Protestants. The European missionaries engaged in trading and other commercial activities as well. Besides being an online tutor, Ralph is an author and expert digital marketer with proven skills in SEO content writing. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? The European Christian missions preached the Gospel, built churches, and seminaries translated the Bible to Ghanaian Languages such as Ewe, Ga, and Twi. They preferred to hold onto polygamy, even at the cost of illiteracy. The Basel missionaries, in particular, established experimental farms and plantations in places like Akropong. PDF Religion Education and Development in Ghana - EA Journals Another valuable contribution of the Christian missionaries in West Africa was the development of literature in the local vernaculars, this included the translation of the Bible into some of the important local languages. A history of Christianity in Ghana. opened was the Christian Institute, established in 1814 for the training of teachers, catechists and priests.

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