The Catholic Mission and Early Educational Activities in Gusii: A Historical Metabletical Overview

Abstract

This study discusses the role played by the Catholics in the development of Western education in Gusii. This is a historical study that has utilized both primary and secondary sources of data. To put the topic into focus, the study starts by tracing the origins of the Catholic Church to Gusii. The study shows that just like other missionaries who evangelized the area, the Catholics also took education as an important instrument for evangelization. It emphasized catechism and memorization of the scriptures. In Gusii, the first education centre for the Catholics began in Nyabururu in 1912. Catholic education in Gusii was quite slow; the first secondary school St. James Nyabururu was established in 1961 by the Catholic Diocese of Kisii upon its formation. Later, it was transferred to Mosocho and it was named after Bishop Otunga of Kisii Diocese in 1962. The school was run by Tilburg Brothers from Holland; however, the school project was funded by the government. The study also shows the contribution of the Catholic Church to the Social-economic development of the people of Gusii.