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“That individual who assumes the role of mwalimu, or who is so appointed, must be one who is not only studied in the history and culture of our people, but one who is in complete identification with it. The mwalimu must not only be involved in the study of the culture, but must be involved in a concrete and ongoing way with advancing the cultural and/or political interests of Afrikan people. The mwalimu comes before his wanafunzi (students) as a representative of the whole culture. The mwalimu is entrusted with the task of inculcating the essential values of that culture and thereby guaranteeing its continuation. The mwalimu comes to the classroom representing in one sense the limitations of tradition and the existing order. The mwanafunzi comes to the classroom representing the new order or unlimited potentiality. The mwalimu, as a representative of the current order, brings with him/her all the accumulated wisdom of tradition and must seek to impart that wisdom in a way that inspires and fuels the new energy and unlimited potential of mwanafunzi. The mwalimu must possess a general command of that accumulated wisdom, along with a specific mastery of a chosen area of speciality. Beyond that general competence, the mwalimu must possess a deep-felt and infectious drive to achieve greater command of both the wisdom of tradition and modernity….The mwalimu can only be effective in fulfilling that task if he/she is an active participant in that working collective that is devoted to the cultural, political and economic development of the Afrikan community. The mwalimu must bring enthusiasm, conviction, ideological clarity, moral integrity, and courage, as well as knowledge, to the teaching/learning environment. The latent messages and information shared by the mwalimu through physical nuance, voice pattern and tone, hair style, dress, and character are as important to the effective teaching/learning environment as the structured lessons. If the mwalimu is deficient in either area, the respect of the wanafunzi, and the efficacy of the teacher/learner encounter will be compromised. Given the critical role that the mwalimu must play in the maintaining and enhancing the national culture, it is no wonder that in classical Afrikan civilizations and in still viable traditional societies, the higher or core knowledge was entrusted only to its most esteemed elders and spiritual leaders.”
Kwame Agyei Akoto
