6 Winning Points: Western Education Has Destroyed Our Cultural Values
Good day, students! Looking for the winning points for your next debate? You’ve come to the right place.
Today, we are diving into a topic that touches the very heart of our identity as Nigerians: Western Education Has Destroyed Our Cultural Values.
Let’s be honest. We often praise “civilization” and “modernization,” but have we stopped to count the cost? Have we looked at how our languages, our respect for elders, and our beautiful traditions are fading away because we are too busy trying to be like the “Oyinbo” man? Supporting this motion doesn’t mean you hate school; it means you are brave enough to speak the truth about what we have lost.
Meaning of Terms
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Western Education: This refers to the formal school system imported from Europe and America, often prioritizing foreign curriculums, languages, and lifestyles.
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Cultural Values: These are the core beliefs, customs, traditions, and moral codes that define us as Africans—like respect, communal living, and our native languages.
This article provides debate points supporting one side of the motion for educational purposes. It is designed to help students build strong arguments and does not necessarily reflect the personal political views of the author.
Winning Debate Points on Why Western Education Has Destroyed Our Cultural Values
Here are 6 strong, persuasive arguments you can use to win this debate.
1. It Is Killing Our Indigenous Languages
My first point—and this is something we see every day—is the death of our mother tongues. Western education has made us believe that speaking English is a sign of intelligence, while speaking Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa is a sign of being “local” or “illiterate.”
Think about it. In many Nigerian schools today, students are punished for speaking their own language. They call it “vernacular.” How can our culture survive when our children are fined for speaking it? This systematic suppression has led to a generation that cannot hold a conversation with their grandparents. As noted in many arguments on whether speaking vernacular should be allowed in class, language is the vehicle of culture. When the vehicle is destroyed by Western schooling, the culture inside it dies.
2. It Has Eroded Respect for Elders
In traditional African society, respect for elders is non-negotiable. It is the glue that holds our communities together. A child dares not look an elder in the eye while being corrected. But what does Western education teach? It teaches “assertiveness” and “rights” in a way that often looks like pure rudeness to our culture.
Now, you see a child challenging their parents or teachers because “Mr. Smith in the textbook said I have freedom of speech.” We have traded our deep-seated culture of respect—like prostrating or kneeling—for a handshake and a “Hi, Dad.” This moral decadence is a direct product of adopting a foreign value system that prioritizes the individual over the collective wisdom of elders.
3. It Promotes Indecent Dressing
Let’s talk about fashion. Our traditional attires—the Agbada, the Iro and Buba, the Kaftan—are designed with modesty and dignity in mind. They cover the body and command respect.
Enter Western education and its “campus culture.” Suddenly, modesty is seen as “old school.” Our universities and secondary schools are filled with students wearing clothes that barely cover anything, all in the name of “fashion” and “exposure.” We are copying trends from music videos and foreign magazines, completely discarding the decency that our forefathers cherished. This isn’t just about clothes; it’s about a shift in mindset where “modern” equals “naked.”
4. It Replaced “We” with “I” (Individualism)
The beauty of African life is the community. We believe that “it takes a village to raise a child.” We share, we gather, and we look out for our neighbors. But Western education introduces the concept of Western individualism—the idea that it’s “every man for himself.”
School teaches us to compete against each other for the first position, not to collaborate. It teaches us to build high fences around our houses and ignore our neighbors. We are becoming a society of selfish individuals who care more about personal career ladders than the well-being of our extended families. This selfishness is a foreign import, brought to us by a system that values personal success over communal welfare.
5. It Glorifies White-Collar Jobs Over Traditional Crafts
Before Western education, our ancestors were master craftsmen—blacksmiths, weavers, farmers, carvers. These skills were respected and sustained our economy. Today, Western education has brainwashed us to believe that the only path to success is sitting in an air-conditioned office wearing a tie.
We have millions of graduates with no jobs, yet we look down on farming and handwork. We have abandoned our rich heritage of craftsmanship because school told us that working with our hands is “dirty.” This is why we argue that teachers are better than farmers in debates, but in reality, a nation cannot eat grammar. We have lost our self-sufficiency.
6. It Has Distorted Our History
Finally, Western education teaches us a version of history that glorifies the conqueror and erases the conquered. For years, we were taught that Mungo Park “discovered” the River Niger—as if our ancestors who fished in it for centuries were blind!
By controlling what we learn, Western education has planted a colonial mentality in us. We view our own history as “primitive” and Western history as “civilized.” We know more about the Queen of England than we do about Queen Amina of Zaria or Jaja of Opobo. How can a people value their culture when their education system tells them their ancestors were savages?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Are you saying we should stop going to school? A: Not at all. Education is vital. The argument is that the current system of Western education needs to be decolonized. We need an education that respects our roots, not one that chops them off.
Q: How can I prove that culture is actually dying? A: Use statistics! You can mention that according to UNESCO, hundreds of African languages are endangered. You can also point to the fact that many Nigerian children today have English names but don’t know the meaning of their native names.
Q: What is the best way to end this speech? A: End with a powerful call to action. Remind the audience that a tree without roots cannot stand. You can find great closing techniques in our guide on how to start and end a debate.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, the evidence is clear. From the death of our languages to the erosion of respect and the rise of selfish individualism, Western education has dealt a heavy blow to our cultural values. We have exchanged our gold for mirrors.
It is time we stop apologizing for being African. We must demand an education system that blends modern knowledge with our traditional wisdom, rather than one that seeks to erase it.
This post is for educational debate purposes only. We recognize the immense benefits of education and believe in finding a balance between modernization and cultural preservation.
What do you think? Has school made us lose our way, or is it the path to the future? Drop your opinions in the comments section below… Also, feel free to share this post with your coursemates or those in your team!
