Agentive role of government in African education: North Nyanza, 1890–1920

Abstract

This paper examines the agentive role of the colonial administration in accessing formal education for Africans in North Nyanza, Kenya from 1890 to 1920. It demonstrates the complexities of the colonial experience in which the ultimate application of policy and practice was shaped by the overriding principle of protection of the economic and political interests of the immigrant settler community. Africans lacked institutional agency in government functioning in the racialised society in this period. The agentive role of the colonial administration in improving conditions for African populations faltered from its earliest conception. The colonial project ultimately fell short of its goal, as the governmental commitment to improving the education for African populations was compromised by the agenda to advance the commercial interest of the colonial empire and the dominant influence of the European settler class.

Keywords:

• colonial education
• North Nyanza
• governmental agency
• Kenya

Acknowledgements

I mainly acknowledge the anonymous reviewers who provided insightful and informative comments on the original draft of this manuscript. Their effort and suggestions for review made my work better.

Notes on contributor

Edith Mukudi Omwami is Associate Professor of comparative and international studies in education at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her current research interest is gender and education, education finance, access, participation, and achievement. She also focuses on the intersection among nutrition and education.