Objectives and purpose of education before the coming of colonial masters

Introduction

Kelly (1999) defines education as a lifelong process in which the older generation impart skills, values and knowledge into the young ones for their own survival. “Education is not the same as schooling, but it is a lifelong process conducted by many agencies”. Education is the action exercised by adult generation on those who are not yet ready for social life.

Before the introduction of education brought by the missionaries in Africa, there was a form of education that was aimed at preparing people for a better life in the society. This type of education started from childhood until such a time when an individual attained adulthood.

Kelly (1999) states that although indigenous education systems can vary from one place to another, the goals of these systems are often strikingly similar. He further argued that the aim of indigenous education concerned with instilling the accepted standards and beliefs governing correct behavior and creating unity and consensus. This looked mainly at the role of an individual in society.

Objectives and purpose of education before the coming of colonial masters

·         To prepare the young generation into a useful and responsible adult in the society

·         To acquire knowledge, skills, and values relevant for living in their society

·         To enhance self reliance

The ways of use   d of education before the  coming  of  colonial masters

Through social ceremonies and initiation ceremonies; the latter is where a boy or girl was taken in seclusion after attaining puberty. The men were taught to work hard and provide for their families while the women were taught to care for their husbands, children and the entire family. It was during this time that men and women were taught to participate in adult activities (that is, fishing, hunting, housekeeping etcetera). (Kelly 1999). All these justifies that African children in pre-colonial period learnt what they lived

Through transmission, observation and imitation; Children observed and imitated their parents’ practical crafts and skills which performed according to their capacities. Group instruction, group assignments and age groupings to experience a particular significant event. Private instructions by sisters, brothers or one of the parents were also provided.

Through folk tales and stories were used not only to amuse and express feelings but to teach children: ideal forms of behavior; morality; inducting the youth into the moral, philosophical and cultural values of the community.

Learning by listening to elders, or emulating them; direct instruction; dos and don’ts Initiation rites and rituals were cultural devices used to inculcate the spirit of the community. Approaching adolescence children learn through myths, legends, folksongs and folktales, proverbs and dances preparing the child to adulthood

Strength of education in Mtwara region before the coming of colonial masters

Indigenous education promote cultural heritage of the society. This is simply because in Mtwara region there different tribe that used indigenous education to promote cultural and traditional practices of Jando and Unyago for Makonde and Makua tribe that acted as among cultural heritage of such tribes.

The education given to people was both theoretical and practically. For example Oral traditions as well as physical activities such as agriculture, mining and fishing. This form of education still practiced in modern society since people are engaged in agricultural activities as well as rooting of roots known as "Ming'oko".

Indigenous education provides good behavior to the people; for example in case of Jando and Unyago, the young boys and girls who selected to the Jando and Unyago were learned more about respecting others especially elders and every member of the society, so due to that indigenous education acted as the important tool for providing good behaviors to the young people.

Indigenous education used to acquire specific vocational skills and to develop honest labour; in Mtwara region both or many tribes were specialized in pottery making, so they teach about the pottery technology from one generation to another for the aim of developing honest labour, also they engaged in cultivation especially in food crops like maize, millet, cassava, sorghum and other, so they used indigenous education to impact such acquired on skills from one generation to another.

Challenges of education in Mtwara region before the coming of colonial masters

Indigenous education allowed only elders to teach young people; this is simply because during that time only elders. For example in case of Jando for boys only elders were responsible to teach and direct young about adult life, same to young girls. Also girls were acted as a source of information, so due to fact that led to occurrence of weakness in some social information especially in norms like elders as final say in the society.

Indigenous education was lacked structural curriculum; this is true because every tribe in Mtwara were performed or conducted socio-economic activities in different time with other tribe. For example Makonde were conducted Jando and Unyago in December to the January while other place were conducted during June to July, also in pottery making both Mtwara tribe were differ in pottery technology. For example Makonde pots has ornament at the middle or at the neck of pots while other tribe like Makua and Yao did not contain such ornaments, so due to the fact that indigenous education in Mtwara was not structured  no structured curriculum

The accumulated knowledge and skills could not be preserved in written form. This simply because indigenous education in Mtwara was lacked proper methods of storing knowledge and relied on the memories of elders. Because it was not documented it was difficult to spread from one general to another. For example in Mtwara tribes it was difficult to describe, compare and estimate volume, weight and size of objects like pots that produced by Makonde, Yao, Makua and others due to lack of writers document.

Education policies and act before independence   in Tanzania to present

Basically policy is a set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations that has been agreed to officially by a group of people, a business organization, a government, or a political party. The following are some policies since independence up to date according to (Mbenna, 2009);

·         Expansion of education 1961 up to 1967: in this we can divide into three period of time such as Nationalism, Developmental time and Africanisation.

·         Establishment of education for self-reliance 1968 up 1974; on 5^th February 1967 the late Mwalimu Julius.K.Nyerere announced the Arusha declaration, the aim was to built self reliance for everybody and  put emphasis on education to be provided must serve the society to make sure that there is independent in production. This education was to make the students to be qualified education must employed themselves in different works without depending on government only.

·         Universal primary Education in 1974; originated to Musoma resolution on 1974, the government started to ensure to be committed itself to reach Universal Primary Education (UPE). The aim was to improve the quality of access to education and to teach agricultural skills that will ensure efficient and self-reliance for rural communities, during this reform. In order to achieve UPE the government made series of changes to develop the schooling infrastructure to make sure that the children of the 7 years up to 13 years should reach at least standard seven (7) that is compulsory education. In Mtwara region was designed to make sure that all children from 7 to 13 years they got education.

·         The basic education master plan 1990; the government of Tanzania recognized the central roles of education to improve the economics of their people. In Mtwara region had tried in several way to address the issuer of quality education and had took measures to affirm that education is a basic right and basis for need for all. Through UPE and Adult Literacy Campaigns, vocationalization of secondary and expanding tertiary education (higher education). It was been realized that education is still facing many problems. In 1996 the government of Tanzania undertook development the education sector development programe to the existed challenges. The education sector development programme to the existed challenges. The education sector development programme in Mtwara region tried to make sure that there enough facilities equality strong management financing education.

·         Education policy of 1998; Education and training policy the major objectives was to improve quality education process through all authorities from local level to regional level to support financing education in Mtwara region.

·         Education policy of 2014; the aims of this policy was to provide quality education to compete internationally, regionally and worldwide, education for children means that compulsory education from standard one up to form four. (Mbenna, 2009).

Conclusion

Therefore after attaining independence the Tanzanian has made various changes which are basically aimed at improving the education. This is due to the fact that the colonial education did not suit the real environment of the Tanzanian’s environment. So since independence up to date there are changes which are commonly made to improve the living standards and welfare of the people of Tanzanians.

REFERENCES

Kelly, M.J. (1998). Origin and Development of Schools in Zambia , Lusaka : Image Publishers                              Limited.

Mushi, P.A.K (2009). History and Development of Education in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam.                                  Dar es salaam.

Fafunwa, A.B. (1974). History of Education in Nigeria. London: Gorge Allen & Unwin.

Mbenna, F. X. (2009). The history of Education in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam: Dar es Salaam                                   University Press.

Kelly, M.J. (1998). Origin and Development of Schools in Zambia , Lusaka : Image Publishers                              Limited.