Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Nyasaland.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1933]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on the social and economic progress of the people of Nyasaland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    African Education. (a) Primary.—In 1933 there were 3,153 Mission schools and 1 Government school with a total roll of 89,239 boys and 55,861 girls, and an average attendance of 62 per cent. Grants-in-aid wrere given to 550 of these schools in which teachers holding Government certificates were employed. The Superintendents of Education in both provinces report increased interest on the part of the chiefs and headmen, and this has been reflected in a larger number of pupils in schools and a more regular attendance. The better class of school is beginning to be recognized as a factor in the development of the community, but there is still room for improvement both in the ordinary work of the classes, and in the function of the schools as centres of community life. There has been much loose talk about the need for “ higher education ” of various kinds, but there can be no real higher education until chiefs, parents, teachers and pupils accept primary education at its proper valuation. Most Missions now realize the importance of their teaching staff studying the relationship between the headmen, the villagers and the school children, and the following extract from a Missionary report shows what efforts are being made to transform the school from a mere place of instruction in the 3 B/s, to a real centre of influence aiming at the welfare and uplift of the whole African community: “ The school supervisor organized at the close of the year a very successful inter-school competition for the schools of his area. Some 800 people including* headmen met and saw the competitions in drill, organized games, music and other school subjects. All the expenses of the day were met by voluntary subscriptions from the villagers, and it was gratifying to see ‘ the school ’ becoming at last something of a social feature and not an isolated unit in village life. Village meetings were organized by school supervisors and the following are samples of the topics discussed :— The hygienic housing of an African family.’ The school as a means to build up the character of the children.’ The parents’ duty to the school.’ Education and native custom.’ ” (b) Vocational training.—A questionnaire on post-primary educa¬ tion in relation to the economic possibilities of the Protectorate was sent to Provincial Commissioners, Missions and district school com¬ mittees. The consensus of opinion was that the time was inoppor¬ tune for planning the establishment of trade schools throughout the Protectorate, that there was a considerable surplus of semi¬ skilled labour in most trades, and that this would meantime be