The impact of British colonial education practices on Muslim education in Mbale district, Uganda from 1940-1962.

Abstract

DISSERTATION: This was a study on the Impact of British Colonialism on Muslim Education in Uganda (1940-1962) the case of Mbale District. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of colonial education policy on Muslim education in Mbale district. The emphasis was focused on enrollment, staffing and values of learners in Muslim schools in counties of Bungokho, Bubulo and Mbale Municipality.

The objectives of this study were to explore the impact of British colonialism on Muslim Education in Bugisu, Mbale District, identify the effects of colonial education practices on management of Muslim schools and to find out the extent to which colonial education practices affected these schools in the district.

This study was guided by the following research questions; how did the colonial government affect Muslim schools in Mbale district? What was the role of the government in the management of these schools? And to what extent did the colonial government affect these schools as regards the following: Enrollment, staffing, the curriculum and values of learners? Headteachers, teachers, Muslim educationist, elderly Muslims and Bugisu Muslim Supreme Council officials were selected as informants using purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaires, interviews and observation were helpful in gathering required data using research questions.

This study was designed as a descriptive survey to get the opinion of respondents as regards colonial Muslim education. Logical analysis which involved hand sorting, recording on tabulation sheet in accurate mathematical terms by marking and counting frequency tallies for different items on which information was sought were employed as data analysis techniques. The findings of this study indicated that British colonial education practices did not create a significant impact on the establishment of Muslim schools in Mbale district during the period under review. It was also found out that the colonial government had a significant impact on the management of Muslim founded schools. The study also indicated that the nature of Muslim schools was changed. Such changes had negative effects on enrolment of Muslim learners. It was therefore recommended that the Muslim Education authorities should seek the services of qualified technical personnel to advice government and other stakeholders on matters of establishment and management of Muslim founded schools in the district. The study also recommended a similar study be carried out to cover other districts in the country.