Schools and Political Socialisation in Africa

Abstract

The relationship between the political system and the educational system is often viewed only at the level of official aims and goals enshrined in government publications. Yet the political reality of schooling will be created not only by the dominant political ideology of the surrounding society but also by the actors involved in the educational process—pupils, teachers, parents and administrators. This article examines some contradictions between official policy and the actual operation of schooling in three African countries—Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania.