7 - Education for Democracy and Human Rights in African Schools: The Kenyan Experience
Corresponding Author(s) : Daniel N Daniel N
Africa Development,
Vol. 25 No. 1-2 (2000): Africa Development
Abstract
The increasing clamour for democracy and good governance in Africa risked being futile if a politically literate citizenry remains insignificant and is not proactively dominant in the workings of the state. A democratic culture anchored on the respect and protection of human rights need to be imbibed in wider cross sections of the citizenry. Among the structures in the society that can be used to achieve this objective, the educational systems can be effective in inculcating and fostering a culture of awareness of rights and responsibilities among the populace. But the organizational mode of current formal education systems in Africa, basically Western and trapped in its colonial historic origins in particular, have been lacking in promoting tolerance and democratic values. Rather, the authoritarian school structures have encouraged unquestioning acquiescence to authority. This paper argues that African educators should use the school curriculum to promote democracy and human rights. It stresses changes in the systems and the need to align efforts with a view to ensuring that democratic values would pervade the entire society beginning with organizations and institutions at the grassroots level.
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- Bosyut, M., 1990, 'Human Rights as an Element of Foreign Policy', Bulletin of Human Rights, New York, United Nations.
- Clark, J.F., 1994, 'The National Conference as an Instrument of Democratization in Francophone Africa', Journal ofThird World Studies, Vol. XI No. 1.
- Cliffe, L., 1971, 'Socialist Education in Tanzania', in K. Prewitt (ed.) Education and Political Values: An East African Case Study Nairobi, East African Publishing House.
- Delors, J., 1996, Learning the Treasure Within: Report to Unesco of International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century, Paris, UNESCO.
- Department of Education, 1926, Annual Report, Nairobi Government Press. Dreeben, R., 1968, On What Learned in Schools, Reading Mass: Addison Wesley.
- Dudley, B.J., 1973, lnstability and Political Order: Politics and Crisis in Nigeria, Ibadan, Ibadan University Press.
- Entwistle, H., 1971, Political Education in a Democracy, Henley: Routledge and Paul Kegan.
- Gitonga, A.K., 1987, 'The Meaning and Foundation of Democracy', in W.O. Oyugi and A. Gitonga (eds.) Democratic Theory and Practice in Africa. Nairobi, East African Educational Publishers.
- Hagan, A.L., 1991, 'Pauperization and Marginalization of Rural Population in Post Independence of Sub-Saharan Africa', in Paul-Mare Henry (ed.) Poverty, Progress and Development, London, Kegan Paul International/ Unesco.
- Harber, C., 1989, Politics in African Education, London MacMillan Publishers.
- Joinet, B.M., 1991, 'The Multi-Party System Debate', Regular Newsletter to MySuperiors, Dar-es-Salaam, White Fathers.
- Kenya lnstitute of Education, 1985, History and Govemment Syllabus for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, Nairobi.
- King, R., 1973, School Organizations and Pupils Involvement. Henley, Routledge and Kegan Paul.
- Kinyanjui, K., 1975, Secondary School Strikes: The Art of Blaming the Victim, Working Paper No. 208 Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi.
- Kobia, S., 1993, The Quest for Democracy in Africa, Nairobi, National Council of Churches of Kenya.
- Koff, D. and Van Der Muhll, G., 1967, 'Political Socialization in Kenya and Tanzania: A Comprehensive Analysis', Journal of Modem African Studies No.513-51.
- Low, A. and Pratt, C., 1960, Buganda and British Rule /900-/955, London, Oxford University Press.
- Mamdani, M., 1976, Politics and Class Formation in Uganda, London, Heinemann.
- Milbraith, M., 1965, Political Participation,Chicago, Rand McNally.
- National Council of Churches of Kenya (n.d.) Towards Mufti-party Democracy in Kenya, Nairobi.
- Nkinyangi, J.A., 1981, The Origins of Student Disturbances: The Kenyan Case,
- lnstitute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi.
- Obasanjo, O., 1994, Keynote Address in Corrwption, Democracy and Human Rights in West Africa, Summary Report of a seminar organised by African Leadership Forum, Cotonou, Benin Republic, September.
- Oliver, R., 1965, The Missionary Factor in East Africa, London, Longmans. Openheim, A.N. et al. 1975, Civic Education in Ten Countries, New York,Harper and Row.
- Parsons, T., 1960, Structure and Process in Mod m Societies, Glencoe, The Free Press.
- Prewitt, K., 1972, Education and Political.Values: An F.ast African Case Study,Nairobi, East Africa Publishing House.
- Rendel, M., 1972, 'Sorne Problems in Teaching Human Rights', in J. Lynch, C. Modgil and S. Modgil (eds.) Cultural Diversity and the Schools: Vol. 4 Human Rights Education and Global Responsibilities, London, The Falmer Press.
- Republic of Kenya, 1965, African Socialism and lts Application to Planning inKenya, Nairobi, Govemment Printer.
- Republic of Kenya, 1972, The Education ( School Discipline) Regulations, Legat Notices No. 40 of /972 Nairobi, Government Printer.
- Scott, G. 1983, 'Education for Political Development in Kenya and Tanzania: A Comparative Analysis of the Development Policies in Two Independent States', Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis University of Liverpool, cited in C. Harber, Politics in African Education, Macmillan Publishers 1989.
- Sebaly, K., 1987, 'Education About Human Rights: Teacher Preparation', in N. Tarrow, (ed.) Human Rights and Education, Oxford, Pergamon Press.
- Shafer, S.M., 1987, 'Human Rights Education in Schools', in N. Tarrow, (ed.)Human Rights and Education, Oxford, Pergamon Press.
- Shipman, M., 1972, Education and Modernization, London, Faber and Faber.
- Tarrow, N., 1992, 'Human Rights Education: Alternative Conceptions', in J. Lynch, C. Modgil and S.
- Modgil (eds.) Cultural Diversity and the Schools, Vol. 4 Human Rights Education and Global Responsibilities, London, The Falmer Press.
- Taylor, C.A., 1993, 'Human Rights Education: Why, What and How?', in Conference Proceedings:
- Southern African Conference on the Structuring of Education, Vol. 2, Pretoria, 27-30 September.
- Torney-Purta, J., 1988, 'Human Rights Education: A Rationale and Research Evidence', in Human Rights Education in Canada, Montreal, Canadian Human Rights Foundation.
- Ungoed-Thomas, J.R., 1972, Our School, London, Longman.
- United Nations, 1989, Teaching Human Rights: Practical Activitiesfor Primary and Secondary Schools, Geneva, United Nations Centre for Human Rights
References
Bosyut, M., 1990, 'Human Rights as an Element of Foreign Policy', Bulletin of Human Rights, New York, United Nations.
Clark, J.F., 1994, 'The National Conference as an Instrument of Democratization in Francophone Africa', Journal ofThird World Studies, Vol. XI No. 1.
Cliffe, L., 1971, 'Socialist Education in Tanzania', in K. Prewitt (ed.) Education and Political Values: An East African Case Study Nairobi, East African Publishing House.
Delors, J., 1996, Learning the Treasure Within: Report to Unesco of International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century, Paris, UNESCO.
Department of Education, 1926, Annual Report, Nairobi Government Press. Dreeben, R., 1968, On What Learned in Schools, Reading Mass: Addison Wesley.
Dudley, B.J., 1973, lnstability and Political Order: Politics and Crisis in Nigeria, Ibadan, Ibadan University Press.
Entwistle, H., 1971, Political Education in a Democracy, Henley: Routledge and Paul Kegan.
Gitonga, A.K., 1987, 'The Meaning and Foundation of Democracy', in W.O. Oyugi and A. Gitonga (eds.) Democratic Theory and Practice in Africa. Nairobi, East African Educational Publishers.
Hagan, A.L., 1991, 'Pauperization and Marginalization of Rural Population in Post Independence of Sub-Saharan Africa', in Paul-Mare Henry (ed.) Poverty, Progress and Development, London, Kegan Paul International/ Unesco.
Harber, C., 1989, Politics in African Education, London MacMillan Publishers.
Joinet, B.M., 1991, 'The Multi-Party System Debate', Regular Newsletter to MySuperiors, Dar-es-Salaam, White Fathers.
Kenya lnstitute of Education, 1985, History and Govemment Syllabus for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, Nairobi.
King, R., 1973, School Organizations and Pupils Involvement. Henley, Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Kinyanjui, K., 1975, Secondary School Strikes: The Art of Blaming the Victim, Working Paper No. 208 Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi.
Kobia, S., 1993, The Quest for Democracy in Africa, Nairobi, National Council of Churches of Kenya.
Koff, D. and Van Der Muhll, G., 1967, 'Political Socialization in Kenya and Tanzania: A Comprehensive Analysis', Journal of Modem African Studies No.513-51.
Low, A. and Pratt, C., 1960, Buganda and British Rule /900-/955, London, Oxford University Press.
Mamdani, M., 1976, Politics and Class Formation in Uganda, London, Heinemann.
Milbraith, M., 1965, Political Participation,Chicago, Rand McNally.
National Council of Churches of Kenya (n.d.) Towards Mufti-party Democracy in Kenya, Nairobi.
Nkinyangi, J.A., 1981, The Origins of Student Disturbances: The Kenyan Case,
lnstitute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi.
Obasanjo, O., 1994, Keynote Address in Corrwption, Democracy and Human Rights in West Africa, Summary Report of a seminar organised by African Leadership Forum, Cotonou, Benin Republic, September.
Oliver, R., 1965, The Missionary Factor in East Africa, London, Longmans. Openheim, A.N. et al. 1975, Civic Education in Ten Countries, New York,Harper and Row.
Parsons, T., 1960, Structure and Process in Mod m Societies, Glencoe, The Free Press.
Prewitt, K., 1972, Education and Political.Values: An F.ast African Case Study,Nairobi, East Africa Publishing House.
Rendel, M., 1972, 'Sorne Problems in Teaching Human Rights', in J. Lynch, C. Modgil and S. Modgil (eds.) Cultural Diversity and the Schools: Vol. 4 Human Rights Education and Global Responsibilities, London, The Falmer Press.
Republic of Kenya, 1965, African Socialism and lts Application to Planning inKenya, Nairobi, Govemment Printer.
Republic of Kenya, 1972, The Education ( School Discipline) Regulations, Legat Notices No. 40 of /972 Nairobi, Government Printer.
Scott, G. 1983, 'Education for Political Development in Kenya and Tanzania: A Comparative Analysis of the Development Policies in Two Independent States', Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis University of Liverpool, cited in C. Harber, Politics in African Education, Macmillan Publishers 1989.
Sebaly, K., 1987, 'Education About Human Rights: Teacher Preparation', in N. Tarrow, (ed.) Human Rights and Education, Oxford, Pergamon Press.
Shafer, S.M., 1987, 'Human Rights Education in Schools', in N. Tarrow, (ed.)Human Rights and Education, Oxford, Pergamon Press.
Shipman, M., 1972, Education and Modernization, London, Faber and Faber.
Tarrow, N., 1992, 'Human Rights Education: Alternative Conceptions', in J. Lynch, C. Modgil and S.
Modgil (eds.) Cultural Diversity and the Schools, Vol. 4 Human Rights Education and Global Responsibilities, London, The Falmer Press.
Taylor, C.A., 1993, 'Human Rights Education: Why, What and How?', in Conference Proceedings:
Southern African Conference on the Structuring of Education, Vol. 2, Pretoria, 27-30 September.
Torney-Purta, J., 1988, 'Human Rights Education: A Rationale and Research Evidence', in Human Rights Education in Canada, Montreal, Canadian Human Rights Foundation.
Ungoed-Thomas, J.R., 1972, Our School, London, Longman.
United Nations, 1989, Teaching Human Rights: Practical Activitiesfor Primary and Secondary Schools, Geneva, United Nations Centre for Human Rights