Having been thoughtful for a while over the importance of Western education in Africa simply because of the many troubles and social challenges that every average man and woman faces even under the political administrations that have imbibed and allowed this western culture and ‘gift’.
Western culture, also known as Western civilization, Occidental culture, or Western society, is the heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, belief systems, political systems, artifacts and technologies of the Western world. The western education is also part of the western culture whose importance we are going to look into in this content.
Importance of Western Education in Africa
The importance of western education in Africa is as much praised and recognized just as it is condemned as it is responsible for so many socio-cultural challenges now facing the African society.
Freedom
Quality education helped Africans obtain independence from their colonial masters. Our ancestors had to gather enough knowledge before they realized they could fight for their freedom, and this is how Nigeria and OTHER COUNTRIES IN AFRICA became an independent republic. This is a very important achievement.
Exposure and International Relationship
Africa has found common grounds with the rest of the world and has received universal recognition through western education. A good example of this is the literary Nobel Prize won by Wole Soyinka. Africans can participate in international competitions and show themselves in positive lights thanks to western education.
High Standards of Living
The living conditions of modern Africans are indeed much better than those of our ancestors from the pre-colonial era. We are not lagging behind the rest of the world because we can now apply modern solutions in our everyday life issues. For example, the use of modern birth control methods; in the past, families grew very large and this did not always come with a lot of advantages.
Development of Technology and Science
This helps us develop from primitive standards of life. Various technological developments made it possible to make life more comfortable. Bridges, roads and other objects of modern infrastructure are being built thanks to western education.
Promising Future
Western education has not yet exhausted its potentials; it holds a lot of things that we can use to improve our future. There is a good chance that over time living conditions will become even better and Nigeria will be as improved as the most developed countries of the world.
Woes of Western Education in Africa
There are the woes of western education in Africa even in spite of the many scholarships available for grabs for Africans:
Immorality Called Civilization
It cannot be denied that the level of morality in Nigeria has dropped considerably. Things like adultery, abortion, excessively provoking clothing have become more common than they were before.
The Alteration of African Traditional Ruling System
The administrative ways of our ancestors were much more reliable than the ones we have now. There was less chaos and strict discipline was maintained. Nigerians have had to switch from one management system to another over the years.
Low Interest in Agriculture
As a result of western influence, the agricultural industry is lacking sufficient development. This problem is serious considering that this sphere is the basis of the Nigerian economy. Young people should use Western education to improve agriculture and not neglect it.
Individualism
In some homes, it is possible to find a part of the family in support of western ways, while another part considers them unnecessary. For example, a child may aspire to be familiarized with modern tendencies, while the parents would want him to grow up accustomed to the best national traditions. Such disagreements could also affect the love between spouses.
The Erosion of African Traditional Culture
Before the colonial period, local customs were observed very seriously. Due to the popularization of western culture and education, these cultures are gradually being forgotten.
