The History of Education in Cameroon: Colonial Legacies and Peace Education

Abstract In this paper, we have drawn from primary literature and oral sources to demonstrate the history of education in Cameroon from indigenous African education in the 16th Century, through education in Cameroon in the pre-colonial era (1844-1884), the period when missionaries managed education, the colonial era (1884-1960/61): including German protectorate (1884-1914); French mandate (1916-1946); British mandate (1916-1946). French trusteeship (1946-1960), British trusteeship (1946-1961), as well as independence and reunification, that is under the Federation (1961-1972), the United Republic (1972-1984), and to current concerns about education in the Republic of Cameroon (1984-present date). Since independence, one of the greatest worries of the Cameroon government has been how to maintain peace, unity and national integration. This paper showcases factors affecting the various stages of change (sociological, social, political, economic, cultural and historical) in each era of the educational system development. We discuss the nature and content of peace education curriculum that can help to achieve this, while calling for greater inclusion of local and diverse indigenous cultures that should promote an integrated decolonized peace education curriculum for the next generation of peace building educational researchers, university stakeholders and policymakers. We conclude by recommending the importance of peace education curriculum for Cameroon universities which should be re-invented as a vector for peace, unity and national integration in the country.