Impact of Colonialism on Education

Abstract

Every society has a history that will shape the present and future circumstances of its people and development. Most people from Africa, Asia and South America, live in the aftermath of colonialism, while others, for example the Indigenous Peoples of North America, Australia, New Zealand, Latin and Central America still live in colonial bondage. The day-to-day lives of the people of Zimbabwe, like any formerly colonised society, are defined by their past history as colonised peoples, often in ways that are subtle. However, their experiences are a result of internal and external influences. Therefore, to fully comprehend and appreciate policies and challenges that educational planners and administrators face, we need to explore the history of education and how it shapes much of the postcolonial education system in Zimbabwe. The problems that Zimbabwe faces in restructuring its education system are partly embedded in the colonial legacy. For nearly a century, when Zimbabwe was under colonial rule, the majority of indigenous people had no say in or influence on government policies and political decisions that affected the education system (Zvobgo, 1996). Since indigenous people were oppressed and not politically empowered to make fundamental decisions affecting their education, it was easier to blame racism and imperialism as the main cause of the indigenous people’s problems. Racial discrimination in colonial Zimbabwe was so ubiquitous that no African was allowed to enrol in Whites-only schools. A handful of private schools owned by the Church would enrol one or two token Blacks each year, if they showed “outstanding” academic performance, had influential and wealthy parents, or if they belonged to the same religious denomination (e.g. Catholic Church) as the educational institutions (Zindi, 1996).