In Africa, education does not stop at the school gates. It begins at the very heart of the most intimate unit: the family, and continues in ancestral places such as sacred forests, where the fundamental values of community life are passed down.
Even before becoming a worker or a leader, a young boy or girl first learns to be a human being: useful to oneself, to one’s family and to society. Traditional African education does not merely aim to transmit knowledge, but to shape character.
In many regions, young people are initiated in groups according to age and gender. They withdraw temporarily from the community, usually into a forest or sacred place. There, the elders guide them, advise them, and teach them the secrets of life, the laws of nature, and their place in the world.
The young boy learns to become a responsible man: capable of providing for his family, protecting his own, and demonstrating love and wisdom. He is prepared to be a good husband, a worthy father, a pillar of the group.
The young girl, for her part, is trained to be a virtuous woman – faithful, respectful, and above all aware of her central role in the family’s balance. She is educated in humility, patience, and the intelligence of the heart. She is taught to support, but also to fully exist.
Beyond roles, these teachings impart mutual respect, living together, and the importance of others in our own fulfilment. It is here that solidarity, fraternity, and the sense of a shared destiny are born. Forgiveness, listening, and self-control are also learned.
This school of life shapes complete citizens: loyal employees, fair leaders, exemplary parents. It lays the foundation for a peaceful, structured, and resilient society.
Today, in the face of a crisis of reference points, this traditional knowledge is regaining relevance. It reminds us that education is not limited to certificates and diplomas: it is the transmission of values.
Africa has always known this. And perhaps it is here that the true art of living together begins.