Management of Islamics Schools: An Examination of How Islamic Education Was Managed and Developed in The Colonial and Post-Colonial Eras in Northern Ghana

The study examined how Islamic education was managed during colonial and post-colonial Eras of Northern Ghana. It traced the history of the management of Islamic education in Northern Ghana, touching on aspects like management of Islamic Education during Colonial period, management of Islamic Education during the post-colonial regimes, integration of Islamic and secular education and the take over management of Islamic education from the proprietors by post-colonial regimes and managing these as public schools. The study adopted qualitative methodology and used historical research design. A sample of 24 participants were purposively selected and interviewed. The work integrated interview with focus group discussion to ascertain the credibility and dependability of the results. Data was also obtained from documentary analysis of articles, journals, archival records, books, letters and minutes from education commissioners of the northern territories. It was found that the colonial government failed to manage Islamic schools as expected. Thus, they attempted to leave northern Muslims in abject ignorance of their religion; prevented them from studying the Arabic Language by preventing the importation of both Islamic and Arabic literature. Post-colonial regimes, however, boosted Islamic education by encouraging the study of Islam and the Arabic Language; integrating Islam with secular studies as well as modernizing Islamic education in Northern Ghana. The post-colonial administrators also trained Islamic and Arabic teachers. It was recommended that government should equitably provide educational infrastructure for both Islamic and secular schools; make Arabic Language examinable at the basic and second cycle schools in in Northern Ghana