Ancient Egypt and Education
Egypt, the gift of the Nile, is situated in the northern part of the African continent. Ancient Egypt was a desert country watered only by the Nile River which flooded the country from August to October, leaving behind a very rich black earth. The river flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
The government of Egypt was autocratic, ruled by a king called Pharaoh who had absolute power. The kingdom started in 3400 B.C. when under the leadership of Menes, the first Pharaoh, Memphis in the north and Thebes in the south merged together and Egypt became a united country. The name Pharaoh meant “great house” which referred either to the palace or to the duties of the king. The land was owned by the Pharaoh who divided it among his nobles and the priests who owned large portions of the land for religious purposes. The common people tilled the land and gave large portions of their produce to their overlords, nobles, and priests.
The Egyptians were polytheistic. They worshipped the sun god, Ra or Amon Ra, and Osiris , his female counterpart, the good god, who judged the dead. Their son, Horus, was god of day, and Set or Seth was their Satan. The Egyptians were firm believers in life after death, hence, they built many temples.
Egyptian civilization dates back to 5000 B.C., the start of its recorded history.
AIMS OF EGYPTIAN EDUCATION * Training of scribes. Scribes were in great demand to record the transactions of ecclesiastical and commercial business. This was the most coveted profession at that time. * Religious. This aim was to inculcate proper respect for the gods and the pharaoh who was also considered as god. * Utilitarian. The father wanted to transfer to his son his skills in his occupation and the mother to her daughter the skills in keeping house. * Preservation of cultural patterns. Those in charge of Egyptian education, the nobles and priests, wanted to preserve their cultural patterns, the Egyptian civilization.
TYPES OF EDUCATION
The government of Egypt was autocratic, ruled by a king called Pharaoh who had absolute power. The kingdom started in 3400 B.C. when under the leadership of Menes, the first Pharaoh, Memphis in the north and Thebes in the south merged together and Egypt became a united country. The name Pharaoh meant “great house” which referred either to the palace or to the duties of the king. The land was owned by the Pharaoh who divided it among his nobles and the priests who owned large portions of the land for religious purposes. The common people tilled the land and gave large portions of their produce to their overlords, nobles, and priests.
The Egyptians were polytheistic. They worshipped the sun god, Ra or Amon Ra, and Osiris , his female counterpart, the good god, who judged the dead. Their son, Horus, was god of day, and Set or Seth was their Satan. The Egyptians were firm believers in life after death, hence, they built many temples.
Egyptian civilization dates back to 5000 B.C., the start of its recorded history.
AIMS OF EGYPTIAN EDUCATION * Training of scribes. Scribes were in great demand to record the transactions of ecclesiastical and commercial business. This was the most coveted profession at that time. * Religious. This aim was to inculcate proper respect for the gods and the pharaoh who was also considered as god. * Utilitarian. The father wanted to transfer to his son his skills in his occupation and the mother to her daughter the skills in keeping house. * Preservation of cultural patterns. Those in charge of Egyptian education, the nobles and priests, wanted to preserve their cultural patterns, the Egyptian civilization.
TYPES OF EDUCATION