The Role of Education, Religion and Politics in Resolving the Dilemma of the Modern African State

Abstract

The cultural practices and value system of the African has helped maintain peaceful co-existence among various tribes thereby holding the nations together in one piece. A nation of twenty-four million people as is Ghana and over seventy different languages and so many different ethnic groups would have disintegrated as is the case with some other countries of the world had it not been for the heritage that was passed on from the ancestors.

The sustainability of this peace and tranquility is all threatened in the modern state that is poised to move away from the culture and value system of old. The advent of politics of insults is a good testament to this. Resolving the dilemma of the modern state is about how to bring modern educational systems and philosophies to bear with the indigenous value system in such a way that restores harmony, trust and peaceful co-existence among various socio-cultural, religious and ethnic dimensions in the country.

This paper was born out of a focus group discussion of a team comprising politicians, people of faith, policy makers, teachers and learners. Issues pertinent to the resolution of the dilemma of the modern state discussed emphasized the roles of education, religion, politics, and policy making. Discussants agreed that the time is right for such discussions and pointed out that resolving the dilemma would mean how best to interface the difference between education, religion, politics and policy making, education providers and learners.

Keywords: Education, dilemma, religion, politics, modern state