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Music education in Ghana and Nigeria: a brief survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

Robert Kwami
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Extract

This brief historical survey of music education in Ghana and Nigeria encompasses three periods—the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial eras. Its main aim is to search for explanations of an apparent dichotomy between African and Western musics in the curricula of schools in both countries. It shows that, during the pre-colonial and colonial eras, some missionaries, colonial administrators and teachers encouraged the use of indigenous musics in the formal, Western, education systems, whilst, in the post-colonial period, initiatives to include more indigenous African musics have put some pressure at lower levels of the curriculum. Consequently, it may be necessary to reassess the content, methods and resources of music education in both countries.

Résumé

Cette brève étude historique sur l'éducation musicale au Ghana et au Nigéria comprend trois périodes: la période pré-coloniale, coloniale, et post-coloniale. Son objectif principal est de rechercher des explications concernant la dichotomie apparente entre les musiques africaines et occidentales dans les programmes scolaires des deux pays.

Cet article montre que pendant les périodes pré-coloniales et coloniales certains missionnaires, administrateurs coloniaux, et professeurs ont encouragé l'utilisation de musiques indigènes dans les systèmes scolaires officiels occidentaux, tandis que dans la période post-coloniale des initiatives comprenant des musiques africaines plus indigènes ont exercé certaines pressions sur les niveaux les plus bas du programme scolaire. Par conséquent, il se peut qu'il soit nécessaire de réévaluer le contenu, les méthodes et ressources de l'éducation musicale dans les deux pays.

Type
Music in church and school
Information
Africa , Volume 64 , Issue 4 , October 1994 , pp. 544 - 560
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1994

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