getting rid of ignorance

EDUCATION
Education comes from the Latin word ‘educare’ meaning ‘nurture’ or to ‘bring out ignorance’, and instill knowledge of wisdom and understanding. Researchers like Mark Twain argue that education is a life long process, starting at conception and culminating at death. Therefore, education is an informal as well as a formal systemic transmission of knowledge, skills, norms and values, from one generation to another. WAGENAAR, T. C., AND GIERYN, T. F. (1989, page 832)

Features of informal and formal education
Informal education is characterized by: use of word of mouth, through story telling, songs, and character teaching done by the elders and parents in the family and teaches norms and values of the society. Mostly done at home, free of charge and is compulsory for all. Punishment is imposed on one who fails to adhere to the norms and values taught.
Formal education on the other hand is done in specialized institutions called schools, by specialized personnel: the teachers. It also involves people who voluntarily accept to be taught: the students and who pay for the services rendered to them. Special tools like books, pens, chalks and in the advanced world, computers are used to impart knowledge. It involves doing an examination at the end of the course where promotion is done on merit. Therefore, it is a pre-requisite in job industries.
Development of education
Education must have originated at creation when God instructed Adam and Eve and when they disobeyed; they were expelled from the garden. However, true formal education must have come into being between 6th -4th century B.C, when people like Plato opened academies and wrote books.
Taking the example of the United States of America (U.S.A), there has been a shift in educational tends from education for a few (in colonial America), to education for all (in independent America). Most early schools were started by churches and were meant to remove the ‘ignorance of scriptures.’ Therefore, they had their basic teachings on morality and religious reasons and were only for the rich. There was also segregation since it was illegal for the blacks (the slaves), to acquire education. This was to prevent blacks from acquiring knowledge that could see them revolt against their masters.
In 19th and 20th centuries, schools started opening up: charity schools for paupers, private and military academies, church sponsored schools. Education was standardized and the time to stay in school increased. Education was meant to mold good citizens and schools were financed and managed locally. Basic skills like reading, writing, and arithmetics were emphasized for after all; education was to mold good citizens.
From the 20th century, elementary and public schools were developed which were free and mandatory, high school graduation was common although segregation against blacks and women still existed. Universities sprung up and the purpose of education shifted from molding of good citizens to nurturing of good labourers. With the coming up of civil right movements and equality for women, segregation receded and equality embraced. In America today, education is tending towards bureaucratization where hierarchies of authority and professionalism is encouraged. BRINKERHOF, B., WHITE, K. L., (1985, page 362-363)
Functions of education
Education is designed to meet society needs. Education therefore helps in transmission of society’s culture from one generation to the next by teaching ideals, customs, norms, values and standards of the culture. Here, language, religion, and history of the society is learned which is quite useful in the perpetuation of the society’s culture as it builds on the past and preserves the traditions. BRINKERHOF, B. D., WHITE, K. L., (1985, page 367)
It also promotes socialization and a common culture as it brings various people together, giving them the same basics of life. It also helps in instilling values of discipline and obedience and hence conformity is encouraged. Ibid (1985, page 367)
Education also helps in building a common cultural base for it brings various people of diverse cultural backgrounds, languages, and religion together assimilating and creating unity among them. Ibid (1985, page 367)
Man by nature was never created to be an island but a social being, hence, education prepares children to integrate in the outside world by encouraging them to interact and share ideas through; seminars, symposiums, discussions, conferences and workshops. This makes them to fight for a common goal and purpose. Ibid (1985, page 367)
Education makes it easier in implementation of government policies for most government communications come in print which can be easily read by the educated one. More so, learned people can understand what is communicated to them with ease. At the same time, education also helps to identify and nurturing talents which would otherwise have gone to waste, for apart from academics, co-curriculum activities are encouraged in schools and this is why we have sports personalities, poets, musicians, footballers, e.t.c.
It also promotes development and change, for students are encouraged to think critically, analyse matter carefully and be skeptical where necessary. This makes students creative and creates new knowledge. This is how people like Bill Gate came up with Microsoft.
Education is also a tool that brings about equality in various spheres of life. Job allocation and promotion is not so much base on gender or race but on academic qualifications and merit. Ibid (1985, page 367.) e.g. the former Ugandan vice president Miss Kazibwe was appointed not because of her gender but because of her credentials.
It also helps to mould a wholesome citizen in both intellect and character for skills like language, mathematics, technical skills and sciences are taught alongside co-operation, punctuality, and obedience which makes people to be responsible not only for self but for the entire society and indeed the world. Ibid (1985, page 367)
Dysfunctions of education
Apart from the many advantages education has, it is evident that the modern education also has its dark side. This ranges from morality to social life.
The most evident de-merit of education is the big knowledge gap that is being created between the old guard and the young tarks. As young people learn more and more this from school, they tend to view the old people and their ideas as outdated and this brings about conflict in the society. Ibid (1985, page 367).
The idea that children stay in boarding schools during their studies, away from their parents is eroding away the role of parents. Thus, children do not receive enough parental care they ought to, and this may affect them in future. Ibid (1985, page 368).
Education has also lead to growth of unique youth cultures where youth with their newly acquired ideas from schools form counter cultures and this may bring conflict among them and the older members of the society.
It is apparently vivid that the biggest crooks in the world today are molded by education: those who wire money from the banks, those making explosives to kill, highway robbers, internet fraud, in government offices and all those who use pens to steal are all products of education.
Educations has also taught man how to make machine guns for defence, industries for production and engines for travel, yet, guns are in illegal hands killing innocent people, global warming is rising and now humanity is at the verge of extinction. All these are problems caused by and educated man.
Although all people were created to be equal, it is quite clear today than ever before that education is dividing man into classes; the learned from ‘ignorant’, the haves from have-nots, and there is a possibility of education benefiting a few individuals at the expense of the majority who are not so blessed as to acquire a higher education. There is also a tendency to neglect and sideline the less educated ones in the decision making, yet, they may have quite bright ideas that may help the society to grow.
Comparisons in education between Kenya and the United States of America
It was not until 20th century that formal education entered Kenya. Just like the U.S.A, this was brought about by the missionaries and the colonials. Early schools were opened by the missionaries and were meant to teach morality, scripture and civilized way of life. Children from well known families like chiefs then started acquiring formal education. Just like in U.S.A, Africans were not allowed to have access to this type of education as they were seen as ‘thick’ and if learned, a threat to the colonial leadership.
With the acquisition of independence, education was opened for all and following the British system of 7-4-2-3, which was later changed to French system of 8-4-4. Initially, education was only for men and wealthy just like what used to happen in the U.S.A, although this is slowly changing. Education has also changed from teaching of morals and scripture to the nurturing of potential labour force. There is also high level of professionalism today because bureaucratization is taking shape, boarding and private schools are coming up and there is a lot of competition in the education industry.
Education has also helped many Kenyans to come up with new ideas and skill that not only help the Kenyan society but the world as a whole. Just like Bill Gates with his Microsoft, Kenyans are known to be avid researchers in different fields, most recent being a research on HIV/AIDS by KEMRI. Kenya also has her own professionals that handle her internal affairs and there is no great need to seek expertise from the west.
Just like United States where advancement in education has lead to advancement of not only technology but also democracy, the development of educations system in Kenya has lead to the development and growth of democracy in Kenya. Kenya is today ranked among the most democratic countries in Africa.
However, unlike in the United States where elementary and high school education is free an mandatory, there is still a problem in Kenya with many students failing to join high schools, either because of lack of funds, or because of the high cut off points for high school entry.
The other difference between education in the United States of America and Kenya is that due to the great technological advancements in the U.S.A, education is more computerized than it is in Kenya where blackboard and use of chalk, is still the culture. Most Americans use soft libraries where they get their information from the internet, while in Kenya people still struggle with heavy books.
All in all, Kenya is slowly catching up, given the fact that it is only a young country