5.3.5.1 Education in Chasefu
The Livingstonia Mission of the Free Church of Scotland has long been recognised as one of the most important of the Christian Missions introduced into Central Africa in the late nineteenth century. The education network created at the Overtoun Institution at Khondowe in Malawi became perhaps the most effective and certainly the most admired in Central Africa and provided the early training for many Malawians and Zambians (McCracken, 1977:234; Snelson, 1974:63).
Dr. Robert Laws, the Livingstonia Mission leader, hoped that Overtoun College was one day going to be the University of Livingstonia. “Drawing students from Northern Rhodesia and Tanganyika as well as from Nyasaland, the Institution would serve as a centre of post-
primary training for East Central Africa south of Kenya” (McCracken, 1977:234; Laws, 1934:169). Laws stated that, “we have the opportunity now of moulding the future of higher education in Central Africa and of ensuring that it shall be based on an enduring Christian Foundation” (McCracken, 1977:234). In 1926 Laws informed the Foreign Mission Committee of the achievement and in the same year it won the praise of Sir Herbert Stanley, the Governor of Northern Rhodesia. Stanley promised to use the college for higher education of students from his own territory (McCracken, 1977:234). Sir Charles Bowring, the Governor of Nyasaland was another early supporter. In October 1925 Bowring laid the foundation stone of the new building at the missions Jubilee celebrations (McCracken, 1977:234).
The Livingstonia mission established many mission schools in Nyasaland (Malawi) as well as Northern Rhodesia (Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1938:34; McCracken, 1977:233, 234). Through the many schools, both rural and urban schools, the people of Zambia have been enlightened as Livingstonia schools offered the best education in the country. Snelson (1973:58) observes that “no mission attached greater importance to education or achieved a greater degree of success in its schools, than the Free Church of Scotland, which began to extend its work into North-eastern Rhodesia from Nyasaland in the early 1890s.” This was a very big contribution to the people of Zambia educationally. For example, all those educated at these schools were in high demand in many government and non-governmental institutions (Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1943:19, 20, 23).
The centre of education of the Livingstonia mission in Eastern Province of Zambia was at Chasefu. The mission schools were the channels through which Christian teaching spread. The mission council worked hand in hand with the Local Education Authority (LEA) to see to it that:
i. First in almost all cases the school teacher was also the local evangelist;
ii. School curriculum contained a time or period for Religious Studies and some of the early reading books were part of the Bible; and
iii. Often the school building served as the Church on Sundays and the same pupils who were on the School rolls made up the hearers and catechumen’s classes. (Correspondence: Bernard, Neil C. Rev. 1954, 2nd July).
Mission education was seen as a means of evangelising people in Central Africa (Laws, 1934:176). The Bible was believed to contain the saving knowledge of the people through our Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, education was seen as a branch of Western civilization through the Scottish missionaries. Education was a means of providing skilled labours for the mission and the colonial government (Correspondence: Bernard Neil. C. Rev. 1954, 2nd July; Correspondence: Pierce, N.S. Mr. 1955, 12th February; Laws, 1934:178).
In view of this, education from the Christian standpoint is an essential way of witnessing to the truth (Laws, 1934:176). It is a process by which children may be led into that fullness of life, which is part of the gospel’s meaning for mankind. From this standpoint, missionaries are under an obligation to educate just as they are under an obligation to evangelise. The two processes are so inseparable as to be indistinguishable (CoS Report of the Foreign Mission Committee, 1930:10, 93; 1941 – 1942:19; Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1942:33;).
Many local people contributed to the development of mission education in Chasefu, Zambia. Some worked as teachers, evangelists, ministers and inspectors of schools or managers of schools. Among those who served as inspector of schools were: Jeremiah Nq’umayo, Mr. Harry Brown Malandula Nyirenda, Raban Mulauko Ndhlovu and Bauti Michael Dokowe (Oral interview: Nyirenda, 11-07-02). These local elders mostly from Chief Magodi contributed greatly to the development of education in the area (Fraser, 1934:181). As a result of their efforts the education standards improved and Christianity became wide spread (Fraser, 1934:180). Chasefu grew to its peak due to the feeder schools, which were feeding Chasefu mission high school (Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1949:4, 7, 12; Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1950:7, 20).
The mission schools worked in collaboration with the Local Education Authority (LEA) and the Native Association of the district (NAD, which included chiefs, headmen, teachers, Government employees and other lead men in the tribe (Fraser, 1934:274). This helped mission education standards to rise. In Eastern province then, there were three Local Education Authority (LEA) groupings namely; Tumbuka Local Education Authority, Chewa Local Education Authority and Senga Local Education Authority (Oral interview: Nkunika, 26-10-03). Each Local Education Authority had its own Education Counsellor (EC). This person’s role was to inspect schools on behalf of the Native Authority (NA) (Snelson,
1974:59)20. Even though these men of God received very low wages, they continued to visit all the schools including the rural schools (Fraser, 1934:274).
At first when the Uyombe - Luangwa sub-districts were established in 1938, the Livingstonia mission schools in Isoka area were associated with Mwenzo. Mr. Burnett was appointed manager of schools for government purposes. This meant that from 1938, the Livingstonia mission had Loudon/Chasefu District Church Councils (DCCs) covering the whole of Luangwa, Uyombe, Lundazi and Isoka areas (Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1938:34).
In 1942 the area given to Mwenzo, which was under Uyombe area faced some operational difficulties. Mwenzo station reported difficulties in the supervision of educational works in the Uyombe area to the Mission Council. The Livingstonia Mission Council had put various measures to overcome these difficulties in this remote and widely dotted area (Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1942:33; CoS Report of the Foreign Mission Committee, 1949-1950:96). After consultation between the heads of Mwenzo and Chasefu stations and Livingstonia Districts, it was decided that the Rev. Simeon K. Ngulube undertakes the supervision of schools in the Uyombe.
5.3.5.2 Medical Work
In an effort to have a holistic approach to mission work, the Livingstonia mission also introduced health work in Central Africa. The biggest hospital of the time was the David Gordon Memorial Hospital built in 1904 at Livingstonia (Laws, 1934:163, 164). In North- eastern Rhodesia, health centres were introduced at a number of mission stations. There were clinics at Tamanda, Uyombe, Chitheba and Chasefu (Chilenje, 1998:38, 39; Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1943:16, CoS Report of the Foreign Mission Committee, 1949-1950:96).
Mrs. Alexander Halliday started medical work at Chasefu CCAP Mission station in 1933. Thereafter, Mr. Manasseh Ngwira of Chamahiya village became the first clinical officer and
20
Native Authority means any paramount chief, sub chief or other native whether by himself or in council or any native council or group of natives declared to be or recognised as native authority under this ordinance for the area concerned (Chapter 157 of the Laws of Northern Rhodesia 1958:2).
his wife was later sent for training, worked as a mid-wife (Chilenje, 1998:38). Around 1950, the clinic at Chasefu was moved to Mwata Luzi along the Chama road (CoS Report of the Foreign Mission Committee, 1949–1950:96).
Through good medical care provided by the missionaries, health standards of the people in Northern Rhodesia improved. The diseases, which at first seemed incurable, were now cured. The medical facilities provided by the Livingstonia mission served as a means of evangelisation. Most of the people who were admitted in these clinics, received the message of God from the clinic chaplains (Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1943:16).
By 1943, there was a dispensary at Chasefu, which performed invaluable work. The Council sent all serious cases to the main hospitals at Loudon and the David Gordon Memorial hospital at Livingstonia. The Livingstonia Mission had four welfare centres (clinics) at Chitheba, Uyombe, Kazembe and Chibale. These places had prevented many unnecessary deaths, suffering and diseases (Minutes: Livingstonia Mission Council, 1943:16; CoS Minutes of the Foreign Mission Committee, 1949 - 1950:96).
5.3.5.3 Agriculture
Many early missionaries and church workers helped people in farming. New crops were introduced and better methods of production were taught. As a result, the production increased rapidly. One of the exponents who enforced the agriculture industry in the Livingstonia Mission was Rev. Dr. Donald Fraser of Loudon/Chasefu DCC. McIntosh (1993:207) observes that “Fraser considered that an Agriculture Native Demonstrator should be appointed for each area to give lessons on caring for stock, from poultry to cattle, and on the growing of crops in order to increase the wealth, comfort and capacity of the people”.