Government and African Control of Education in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, 1928‐48 |
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| Authors: | PT Mgadla |
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| Institution: | History Department , University of Botswana , Private Bag 0022, Gaborone, Botswana |
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| Abstract: | The educational development of the Bechuanaland Protectorate has always been controlled by the London Missionary Society (LMS). The latter however, was not in a strong enough financial position to direct the system of education throughout the territory. By 1928 and due to pressure from the LMS, the colonial government took over the control and direction of education by introducing school committees, systematizing the primary school syllabus, regularizing payment and training teachers and introducing cattle post schools. Significant though these efforts were, the Africans were still dissatisfied with the development of education in the country. They sought education that went beyond the primary school level. African and denominational initiatives to build secondary schools within the country were designed to address this need. Perhaps a dark spot in the educational history of the Protectorate is marked by the somewhat blatant discrimination exercised by the colonial government in the development of European to the detriment of African education and the apparent disregard by all educational parties concerned to offer anything new for women. Women were regarded as inferior to men and no significant efforts were made to enhance their status, income and role in decision making bodies. |
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