Physical Education in the Colonial Gold Coast: From a Civilizing Mission to “Useful Citizens”

Claire Nicolas

doi:10.3390/socsci10020077

Abstract

This paper addresses the transfer of Physical Education to the Gold Coast, focusing on its shifting role in producing ideal subjects and its relationship to the imperial politics of the mid-20th century. It explores the contradictory ways in which, in the Gold Coast (now Ghana), the training of young teachers in higher education institutions allowed for the transfer of British citizenship training codes into a colonial setting during the first half of the 20th century. It is focused on the conversation engaged between the Education Department of the Gold Coast and specialists in higher education institutions. The paper is based on archive material collected in the United Kingdom and Ghana.

Highlights

In 1954, on the verge of Ghana’s independence, a British educationalist held a conference at Achimota School and stated as follows:“In a rapidly developing country like the Gold Coast, it is teacher, administrators and clerks who will be in demand in the future
This paper addresses the transfer of Physical Education to the Gold Coast, focusing on its shifting role in producing ideal subjects and its relationship to the imperial politics of the mid-20th century
It explores the contradictory ways in which, in the Gold Coast ( Ghana), the training of young teachers in higher education institutions allowed for the transfer of British citizenship training codes into a colonial setting during the first half of the 20th century

Summary

Introduction

In 1954, on the verge of Ghana’s independence, a British educationalist held a conference at Achimota School and stated as follows:. This led to the strengthening of Physical Education and sport practices in the British school system, beyond public schools, the increased involvement of doctors and physiologists in the field, and the establishment of Physical Education colleges in order to train specialists with state-recognised tertiary qualifications The colonial government insisted on the importance of maintaining the racial distinction between colonial subjects and British citizens within the colony, as highlighted by de facto racialized recruitment in the most prestigious higher schools and the Education Department This gap between educational projects and citizenship rights was to grow over the decade, as new educational principles focused even more on citizenship

Towards a Modern Physical Education

Self-Government and Independent Citizens

Conclusions