THE NEED TO DEVELOP AFRICAN CULTURAL CONSERVATION EDUCATION ACADEMIES: A CASE STUDY OF EASTERN AFRICA
Jackson Morompi Ole Masago - Admin Assistant Liason Section, Maasai Mara University, MED Sociology of Education; Former Manager Maasai Mara University Mara Training, Research and Conference Center, Kenya
Dr. Reuben Gibson Kweingoti (PhD) - Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, Member of Curriculum Development- Religious studies, Post Graduate Student's Career Guidance; Former Director Bomet Campus Maasai Mara University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
This article sought to establish the need for developing cultural conservation educational academies in East Africa. Today, Africa remains the world’s poorest continent. There could be several reasons for this but one of the key ones is that education has not been relevant to the needs of the African society. Substantial resources have been expended to boost education in Africa, even though such resources may not have been adequate. The basic problem is that educational structures were formulated by colonialists who had a cultural background different to that obtaining among Africans. Decades of self-rule and independence have not succeeded in empowering Africans through enabling them determine their educational framework. In part, this difficulty is a result of the continued social and economic ties between African countries and their former colonizing powers. Although Africa is politically independent, it remains technologically and economically dependent on countries that colonized it. Current educational structures are meant mainly to foster this bond, rather than reduce it. Reforms in African education were conceived and implemented within the framework of his relationship, hence they did not go far enough to develop and foster African culture.
