NUKRUMA’S AND NYERERE’S EDUCATIONAL VISIONS – WHAT COULD CONTEMPORARY AFRICA LEARNS FROM THEM?

Getahun Yacob Abraham

Senior Lecturer

Institution for Pedagogical Studies

Karlstad University  

This study tries to assess the educational visions of two post independent African leaders, Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere. The focus is on, what could contemporary Africa learn from their visions on developing the welfare of society through education? To answer this question a literature review of their own works and other writers was conducted. The review shows that they emphasised on the need for education for further development in their own and other countries in the continent. They also focused on relating education with the local reality with due concern on the relevance of knowledge of the global reality. The instrumentality of education to change the life of the masses was given a vital place. For them  education should aim at including all sectors of society and on creating equality among the population instead of contributing to evolving an elite class that selfishly prioritize its own interest than the society at large. They stressed that education should not be too theoretical in the expense of the practical activities. According to them the purpose of education should go beyond individual gains and take into consideration the welfare of the whole society. In line with their visions information technology and welfare development in the continent should be assumed in a way that benefits the broad masses.  

Key words: contemporary Africa, Education, Nkrumah, Nyerere, visions