FUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

BRIGHT COLLAGE OF EDUCATION, KACHIA

KAJURU STUDY CENTER

HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

COURSE OUTLINE

1. Concept and Rational of History of Education

2. Brief History of education: Ancient Greeks and Roman Education
3. African Indigenous System of Education/ African Traditional
Education
4. Islamic Education in Nigeria
5. Christian Missionary/Western Education In Nigeria
6. Nigerian Education Since 1960
7. Evolutions of Junior Secondary Education in Nigeria

By

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 DAVID, OBADIAH J.
Course Tutor
08024333782

HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA (NCEPP)

The meaning of History of Education: The term history of education
mean a comprehensive study of the philosophies and institutions involved
in the formal transmission of culture in various society of the world from
earliest time to the present. It includes full description of changes in
education and structure over a period of time.

(A) THE CONCEPT AND RATIONAL OF HISTORY OF

EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
History of education will help you to understand how the past events
shaped the present educational systems, theories and related phenomenon
in the area of teacher education in particular and education in general.
Secondly it will enable you to appreciate the importance of education to
mankind since time immemorial across the generations. By so doing, you
will critically examine the fundamental part which education play in the
transformation of society. Note that as a teacher, you are a change agent so
learning the history of education will prepare teachers in training to
examine present trends and dynamics in education, draw practical lessons
from the past, avoid possible mistakes and initiate more viable plans for
the benefit of society.
The teaching and learning of the History of Education in Nigeria is
therefore justified for many reasons, some of these include the fact that it
would enable teachers in training to have adequate knowledge of:
a. What our educational policies are and what they are not
b. The philosophical ideas guiding the Nigerian education

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 c. The contributions of the ancient nations and scholars to the
development of the country’s education and the major trends in the
development of our education in Nigeria which may encourage them
to contribute their own quota to the development of education in the
country whenever they are in the position to do so.
d. The study of the history of education helps teachers in training to
appreciate the various aspects of their past educational process so as
to link them to the present.
e. It enables teachers in training to know what type of education we had
and the purpose it served in the past.
f. It gives teachers in training the opportunity of knowing our past
mistakes in our education with the view to making necessary amends.
g. History of education gives teachers in training the opportunity of
studying other people’s educational ideas and programmes with the
aim of developing ours.
h. It also gives teachers in training a solid foundation to plan for our
present and future educational development
i. History of education guide teachers in training to proffer some
positive solution to our present day educational problems.
j. It helps teachers in training to understand some major trends and
developments in our educational system
k. It help teacher in training to formulate and implement better
philosophies of education
l. History of education is a good academic exercise to improved
teachers in training knowledge
m. It widens the scope and knowledge f the teacher and makes him more
comfortable and competent in the class.
n. Knowledge of the history of education can help teacher’s in training
to be competent in handling any political appointment on education,
nationally and internationally.

Forms of education: Learning is said to be a continuous process b which

the young of the family are prepared for happy and useful membership of
which they are exposed can be put into three board categories.

1. Informal Education
It is lifelong education, non deliberate, almost unconscious process
whereby each person either from his parents, relatives, friends and
observations acquires it and master certain knowledge and skills needed

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for survivals in the society. This education is acquired in mother tongue. it
involves learning how behave as well as occupation.
2. Formal Education
This education took place in a school, where children of similar age group
are taught by trained appointed to do so. Formal education comprises, but
only the schools and collages at various levels and for various purposes, but
also the organization that controls them by means of ministry official ,
administrations, principles inspectors etc.
B. Brief History of education: Ancient Greeks and Roman
Education
INTRODUCTION;
We shall start our study with history of western education by first looking
at the ancient civilization. This civilization includes Egypt, Samaria,
Babylon and China. Also this civilization had or developed their respective
system of education known as noble warrior culture. This was what is now
called indigenous education. This education helped or enabled them to
survive in their culture. Later or the developed world became the scribe
culture which was education that develop the art of writing. And so when
Greeks and Rome began to develop their educational system, they had the
noble warrior culture and scribe type of education to borrow from these
two types of education proceeded and roman education, but the scribal
culture was very useful to them.
A. GREECE
With the scribal culture as a legacy from the ancient civilization, the Greeks
were able to develop their educational system. Greek education had
famous philosophers such as Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Their theory on
education, which forms part of this unit, became the basis of our so call
modern education. For example, Plato one of the greatest Greeks
educational philosophers, had his views on education as far back as 5 th
century Plato saw education as a public or stet concern. At this time most
countries of Europe want their educational system as private concern for
Plato the sole aimed of education was for training of the governors known
as philosopher king. These philosopher kings would govern the state made
upon the commoners, soldiers and the governors with justice as its
supreme objectives. Such a system of education according to Plato was to
last for fifty years.
Contributions of Greeks Education to Modern Education.
The most important city states in Greeks were Athens and Sparta. However
Greeks was made up of to 48 city state each of which was autonomous. That

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is to say that they were independent from one another. Most of our
examples are drown from Athens and Sparta. Greeks contribution to
education went as follows:
1. EDUCATION FOR RELEVANCE
Sparta was a warrior city state therefore, it aimed of education was for
militarism. Athens had a different aim of education. It was for the all-round
development of the individual but his emphasis was on intellectualism.
These two city states channeled their system of education toward the
achieving of their stated objectives. In Nigeria attempts are been made to
use education for the solution of relevant problems. This may explain the
introduction of the new 6-3-3-4 educational system.

2. STATE CONTROL EDUCTION

In Greeks, both Sparta and Athens had all public system of education; Plato
insisted that national objectives can only be achieved through a state
controlled education system. In Nigeria some state government such as
Imo, Anambra and Kaduna states promulgated public education edict
which enable the state government to take over all primary and post
primary institutions in their respective state.
3. EDUCATIONAL THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY
The Greeks through their philosopher war among the earliest people o
developed a systematic and comprehensive philosophy of education. In
Sparta, the aimed of education was to produce worrier citizens for the
defense of the city state. In Athens, education at producing the
philosopher-kings who would govern an ideal state with justice as its
supreme goals. In recent times effort are been made in Nigeria to formulate
a philosophy of education. The 1969 curriculum Conference and 1997, and
later 1981 and currently 2004 national policy on education are cases in
point.
4. NATIONAL SERVICE
In Sparta, Athens and infect in all the Greek city States, young men at 18
took the Ephbic Oath which was and oath of allegiance to the state after
taken the Ephbic Oath, the young men went for national survive for two
years. Perhaps in Nigeria the idea of youth service corps may have been a
legacy from Greek education. People who complete their education in
institution of higher learning and under 30 years of age undertake one year
national service call National Youth Service Corp. NYSC
5. MILITORCAY

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Plato system of education was based on militocracy, in Greeks higher
education were dialective of philosophy was studied and structured in such
await that only those were capable of benefiting from each way admitted.
This philosopher-king who pass rigorous examination the previous years.
Although, Nigeria had a system examination based on merit, yet one is not
sure of the validity of this examination. Cases of cheating and
impersonation during examination weaken the Nigeria system.

6. EQUAL EDUCATIOAL OPPORTUNTY FOR BOTH SEXES

Sparta and all Athens group city state laid emphasis on women education.
These by implication main the equal educational opportunity was provided
for both sexes. In Nigeria, western type of education was initially the
prerogative of girls. But since 1960, more emphasis and place on women
education. Many women organization have come to champion women
education eg women in education group. Remarkable progress as been
made in the southern part of the country. But in the northern part, the
practice of early marriage constituted a problem. Girls who would have
furthered their education are given to marriage at the tender ages of
fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen year, or even earlier.
7. OLYMPIC GAMES
The ancient Greek started the Olympic Games. These have continued to be
held once every four years. During this period, there was a national truce
and all quarrels and fighting among the city states ceased. It serves as a
bond of unity. Athletic competition such as races, throwing the javelins and
discuss were competed for at Mt. Olympiad by all the city states. Soon,
other countries of the world joined so as Nigeria. Although there are no
national Olympic games, Nigeria participates in the international Olympic
Games. More importantly, many sport festivals in all aspect of sports are
organized for 36 states of the federation. During these competitions,
national honors are vied for. These competitions among other states are
expected to serve as a bond of unity binding all Nigeria together.

B ROMAN EDUCATIONS
Roman education borrowed the scribble culture from the ancient
civilizations. Roman education was also greatly influenced by the Greek
education. But after the development of roman education, it becomes clear
that the Romans had improved greatly from what they learnt or borrowed
from the Greeks. For example, the major area of concern for the Romans
was in the formulation and development of the curriculum. Many eminent

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roman educators such as Cicero, Tacitus and Quintilian discussed
extensively their views on what should be the ideal curriculum or
education for the young roman citizens. Quintilian, one of the greatest of
the roman educators saw the aim of education to be the production of a
roman Orator. Perhaps this Roman Orator was to be a counterpart of the
Greek philosopher Kings. But, according to Quintilian, his orator would
not be a philosopher but his discourse would be permeated by philosophic
principles. The roman curriculum bt 7th centaury included agriculture, law,
medicine, grammar, dialectics, rhetoric, geometry, arithmetic, astronomy,
music and architecture.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF ROMAN EDUCATION TO MODERN EDUCTION

1 Development of an Education System
The Romans as a good administrators developed a standardize system of
education in three stages
a. The elementary schools stage which lasts for five years. They thought
writing and arithmetic.
b. The Grammar school stage, which last for two years. They thought
language and literature.
c. The schools of Rhetoric have and represented the higher institutions.
This system of education influenced the British system from which Nigeria
derived its early pattern of education. Until recently, Nigeria had similar
system with elementary school for six years, secondary grammar schools
which lasted for five years and the university with diver’s number of years
depending on specialization.

2 the education of the orator

Oratory was a major contribution of roman education to modern
educational thought. Quintilian was the greatest of the roman orators. For
Quintilian the Orator was likened to the Greek /philosopher - king. He was
expected to be a great thinker and speaker of the best languages.
Quintilian’s orator was also expected to be an encyclopedic. Nigeria, like
the roman attaches a great importance of effective communication in her
education. There is a course mounted in all higher institutes in Nigeria
known as effective communication. Some institutions tag their own “the
use of English for communication.” It is important to observe that every
student offers this cause irrespective of his area of specialization. Perhaps
like the Romans. Nigerian may asked what education other than the ability
to communicate intelligently is.

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3. Educational Psychology
Roman education high-lighted the importance of some psychological
principles which we adopt in our present education.
a. Take the concept of individual differences, for example, Roman
education recognized this and insisted that teachers ought to know
his pupils very well. This knowledge would enable him deal with his
pupils individually.
b. Another pertains to overcrowding of knowledge. It was Quintilian
who asked granting that all things should be learnt; can they all be
taught and learnt at the same time? The Romans therefore called for
a variety of interconnected subjects that were well spaced.
c. The Romans contributed a lot as regards discipline. The teacher
should make his presence felt through self control. But, when
necessary, he should use corporal punishment judiciously. Later,
Roman educators began to condemn the use of corporal punishment.
Today, Nigerian, schools are often engaged in the debate whether or
not to use corporal punishment as a means of instilling discipline.

4. State Control of Education

Just as the Greeks, the Romans believed in the state control of education.
The Romans saw the school as a miniature society and the people has the
opportunity of becoming a member of this society. Here he learns his roles
to the society. He is exposed to healthy competition. Romans emperor like
Julius Ceaser and Ceaser Augustus felt such an institution should not be
under private controlled. They voted money from the public treasury to run
the educational institution there by making it state controlled. In Nigeria
many state government such as Imo, Anambra, Cross River and Kaduna to
mention but a few, have all promulgated relevant public education edict.
This edict enable the state government to take over the controlled of
primary and post primary institution in the state.

5. The Spread of Christianity

When Christian religion was introduced in Rome, it make a strong
opposition from pagan worshipers, but later Christianity came to terms
with pagan learning in what we call syncretism, Christianity agreed to
modify some of its tenant belief by the pagans to be too stiff. This was done

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and the pagan has to embrace the new Christianity. Christianity spread
gave new life, introduce new element that help western education to
survive even during the barbarians invasions of the Roman Empire.
In Nigeria, the Christian missionary brought western type of education
around 1842. They were solely responsible for its spread in Nigeria
between 1842 and 1990. It was after 1990 that it’s dawned on the colonial
government that it should establish schools. And so, as in Rome
Christianity have to spread in the new type of education in Nigeria.
Education was a vehicle for the spread of Christianity.

6. The Roman law

As early as the fifth centaury the Romans has modified this became the law
of the 12 table. The Romans from them belief in the rule of law. They belief
that everybody should know the custom and law of his land. Nigeria belief
in concept of the rule of law even during military administration, perhaps
this concept was one of the legacies from roman education to Nigeria
education.
7 Encyclopedia
The roman system of education belief that an educated man should be an
encyclopedia that is a processor of knowledge. The Romans were also the
people to embark on the compilation of encyclopedia. This is a book
containing information on every branch of knowledge known to man.
Modern encyclopedia for Britain must have taken root from the roman
model. Some of this includes American encyclopedia, and encyclopedia
Britannica. Nigeria uses this encyclopedia. But more significant to Nigeria
education is the present move toward integrated social studies. This
integrated science is both gaining ground in the Nigeria educational
system. Thus, like his counterpart, the Nigerian educated man is becoming
the processor of knowledge meaning encyclopedia.

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 (A) AFRICAN INDIGENOUS SYSTEM OF EDUCATION/AFRICAN TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

The Concept of Indigenous Education

What is the meaning of Indigenous Education?
It was stated in the introduction that every human society at any age has its
own system of education. Indigenous African society had their own system
form of training their younger ones before the introduction of western
education. This training was call indigenous education because it was part
and parcel of the society. Some writers choose to call it traditional
education. For instance, Professor Fafunwa so chooses to call it indigenous
education because it was not imported. It was part and parcel of African
indigenous societies. An important practice may after a long time become
traditional education. This was not in the case of indigenous African
education. Indeed, what our fore-fathers did in the form of training was
indigenous to every society.
We most note that when the white man came to Africa, he did not find this
African practices in print. Indigenous African did not have written records.
So, he concluded that African have no education. Later, he began to refer
to African indigenous form of training as primitive education.
In the Nigerian traditional society for example, the local warrior, the
hunter, the blacksmith, the medicine man, were all regarded as educated
people in the context of indigenous education. Professor Babs. Fafunwa
aptly defined traditional (ie indigenous) educational aggregate of all the
processes by which a child developed his ability attitude, and other forms
of behaviour which are of positive value to the society in which his lives.
Indigenous education exists today side by side with western type of
education. It does not possess the art of writing; it is a process which
enables every society to teach her younger generation the life pattern of
their society. The boys for example accompany their father to their farms,
hunting expedition, mending the family houses etc. the girls accompany
their mothers to the farms, market to buy and sell and help them cook. As
parent performs, the young ones render helping hands and, in the process
leant or are educated. Even as children play with peer group during the day
or moonlit night they sing new song and tell new stories, all these
constituted education.

Objectives of Indigenous Education

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 a. Development of child physical skills
As children move about in their environment, some jump up and
down, others jump over the fences, others run about, climb up trees
while some attempt to walk or even run to catch fun. In the night both
young and old come out to the moon-light either to dance to the tune
of the musicians or to play some hides and seek games. As these
activities go on the children are developing their physical skills. This
perhaps is what western education calls physical education.
b. Character and moral training
This is the cornerstone of indigenous education. Children are thought
from the early stages of their life to respect, greet their elders. This is
a law that must be rigorously obeyed. For example a Yoruba girl must
kneel down for a male or female elder, while boys must bow or
prostrate. The Ibo boys must stand up to greet an elder and must do
so with the appropriate prefix to the elder’s status, character and
moral training is the responsibility of every adult over every child.
The child’s behaviour is watched and moral lapses are punished.
Severe punishments such as age grade beating which accompany
offences like thief, adultery and fornication remained the child that
he better behaves at any point in time.
c. Development of intellectual skills and planting
i. During story sessions, he is told the stories connected with the
exploits of their heroes during inter tribal wars. This is also be told by
the village chronicler.
ii. They learn the names of important rivers, valleys, hills or mountains.
(Geography)
iii. They learnt the names of certain herbs with medical powers
(Medicines)
iv. They are engaged in counting or dividing seed-yams for the various
farmlands.
v. They help in tilling the soil and planting the seed yams and cassava
cutting.
vi. They take part in sweeping the compounds, markets squires, and
sources of water supply. (HEALTH AND ENVIROMENTAL
SANITAIONS)
vii. The young help in building new houses and mending or redesigning
old ones.
viii. They involved in organizing and presenting local songs and dances.
ix. Girls learn to cook different dishes

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 x. Vocational development system.
Children takes the vocation of their parents such as farming, hunting,
carving, weaving etc. in some specialized vocations this is done through the
apprenticeship
d. Development of sense of belonging and cultural heritage
The child is thought from the beginning, the homogenous his culture and
nature of the community. He is told that everyone is his brother’s keepers.
The entire important cultural heritage is taught to the child he participates
actively on every community project such as clearing the village square. He
watches the naming ceremony, funeral rites, and coronations and picks the
appropriate roles expected of him. In conformity to the cultural norms of
the society certifies a child as well educated.

Curriculum Methodology of Traditional Education

The curriculum of indigenous education of all the process by which an
individual realizes himself or herself. It is the totality of opportunity which
enable individual in a given social certain to know more about themselves.
It include all that the community is prepare to pass unto the young and
experience. The following can be identified as the curriculum of indigenous
education.
a. Moral and character curriculum. This is made up of the community
taboos, titles, greetings, misbehavior and their consequence etc
b. Social Curriculum. This is made up of all relevant information about
the child’s community, traditions of origin, village gods, marriage and
coronation ceremony and any social institutions of notes within the
community.
c. Vocational Curriculum. This would include different kind of vocation
available in the traditional society some of them are farming,
weaving, carving, hunting, trading, and divination.
d. Health education Curriculum. They include activities geared to the
prevention of sickness, they would include names of certain herbs,
antidote activities which when engage upon provide the exercise of
the whole body methodology.

C. ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

Introduction

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Islam is a religion founded in Mecca, Saudi Arabia by Prophet Mohammad
in the first half of the 7th Century AD. Later in the century, the Arabs
conquered North Africa. This facilitated trade relations as well as the
spread of Islam. No wonder then that Islam came to West Africa through
traders. The traders made it possible for the religion to spread along trade
routes to Kanem-Borno, Hausaland and the central Sudan.
By the 11th Century, Islam has penetrated the Kingdom f Kanem-Borno (a
section of which comprised present-day Borno State of Nigeria). Islam
began to penetrate Hausaland on a large a scale in the 15th Century and was
spreading southward by the end of 16th Century.
Throughout the Central Sudan (present Northern Nigeria) during the 16th
Century, there was a considerable expansion both in the number of people
who were converted to Islam and in the number of people who could read
and write in Arabic. The religion became so influential that most of these
ancient states were ruled by Muslims by 1800. It is to their credit that the
Muslim brought with the first written language known in West Africa and
all the benefits of Arab culture.

The Philosophy of Islamic Education

The philosophy of Islamic education is centered on enabling individuals
who acquire it to become the kind of people an Islamic society conceives.
Islam as a religion upholds that man is born into the world in a state of
innocence like his own parents. If during his existence on earth he yields to
temptation that becomes entirely his responsibility to god. This therefore
creates a need for contact between man and his creator.
To maintain this link with God man has to maintain his natural goodness.
Education in the Islamic sense is intended to build and develop this
goodness that every individual has at birth so that man can hope to remain
a worthy servant of Allah.
Man has two very important gifts from God-
1. Intelligence and,
2. Knowledge,
These gifts given man considerable power overall other creations and
consequently place a responsibility on him to Allah for all his actions. This
philosophy of Islamic education generates five major aims of education.
1. Continuity of Man’s Essential Goodness
The Islamic man never loses sight of his relationship with his maker.
Education for him is an unfolding of these strength and sensibilities
which draw him nearer to God. It inspires in him a consciousness of

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 hiss obligations as the servant of God. It also teaches him to treat the
world as a trust which must not be abused.
2. The Development of Piety
Islamic education aims at developing individuals who not only
worship Allah but also lead a life that is in accordance with his ways.
3. Service to Allah and Man
Education in the Islamic sense is not merely the stocking of
knowledge. It is the way one’s sections are affected by the knowledge
one has acquired.
4. Intellectual Development
Most of the subject offered in Islamic schools demand a high degree
of intellectualism. They are Philosophy, Psychology, Jurisprudence
and Literature. Thus a man does not only need to be pious or have
faith in God, he has to have a well developed intellect.
5. Individual Adjustment
Islam appreciates the higher degree of change that characterizes any
given society. Therefore, it strives to teach its members the tools with
which they can equip themselves to cope with the ever changing
society. All learning must be put into practice otherwise the
individual in question is not learned.

The System of Education and Curriculum of Islamic Education

QUR’ANIC SCHOOLS: (The Elementary Level)
The Qur’anic school represents the elementary school and children start at
the age pf three as soon as they are able to walk the short distance between
home and school. Usually the mosque, Mallam house or a tree shades in
used as a school. A single Mallam takes responsibility of a class. When
children start schooling, their first preoccupation is to learn by rote the
Qur’an. The Mallam recite or reads from the Qur’an and the pupils repeat.
The next learning task is the learning to recognize the twenty-six letters of
the Arabic language. Usually a Mallam has beside him a cane which he uses
freely on pupils who fail to respond correctly.
MAKARANTAN ILIMI: (The Advanced Level)
Individual children progress into secondary or advanced level with a more
challenging curriculum. This school is called Makarantun Ilimi which is the
next level after completing the primary level. The main task of this level is
learning the meaning of those chapters they had committed to memory at
the primary level. The Mallam reads or recites a portion in Arabic and then

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 comments on it elaborately in Hausa of Fulfulde. The subjects are classified
as follows;
i. Hadith - The words and deeds of the Prophet Mohammed
ii. Qur’an - this enables an individual to understand the Qur’an
properly
iii. Jurisprudence - the theory of Law
iv. Arabic Literature - Arabic verse, Grammar, Syntax, Etymology and
Rhetoric
v. Theology - Islamic doctrines of the one God

Advantages of Islamic Education System

1. Cheap Education: The cost of Islamic education is very cheap. There
are no large buildings and services of paid teachers are not needed.
Teachers in this system teach without salaries.
2. Learning at Individual Rate: pupils do not learn under the fear of an
impending examination. This motivates pupils and they try to
understand what they are learning.
3. Moral Education: Individual pupils are well versed in morality
because all their teachings are based on the practice of the holy
Qur’an.
4. Preparation for Life: Islamic education prepares children for
difficulties they are likely to face in later life as they stay in the
Mallams house to render essential services and also go out to seek for
alms.
5. Vocational Opportunity: after going through this kind of education an
individual graduates to become a Mallam. There are no cases of
unemployment among graduates of Islamic Education.

Disadvantage of Islamic Education System

1. Very Limited Organization: There is limited organization at the
primary school level of Islamic education. it has the limitation of
making the whole teaching lack of seriousness. The fact that a single
teacher manages an entire school introduces problems of controlling
the pupils during lesson. Most pupils spend their time playing as the
teacher tries to organize a different section of the school.
2. Extreme Discipline: Learning is always in fear as the only method of
maintaining discipline is by the use of cane. This is natural since the
number of pupils in a particular school is usually more than a single
individual can adequately control. This explains why Mallams in

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 Islamic schools spend most of their time whips in an effort to
maintain discipline.
3. Narrow Curriculum; the curriculum of Islamic education is narrow
especially at the Qur’anic education level. Little is taught in history,
geography, the pure science and even in social sciences. This
handicaps graduates of Islamic education when they compete with
their counterparts in the western-type system.
4. Poor Teaching Method:- Rote learning where the Mallam reads and
pupils repeat appears to be the only teaching method available in
Islamic schools. Although a little lecture method is applied, this is not
sufficiently practices to excite the pupils. Modern methods like
problem solving, demonstration and experimentation methods of
teaching which facilitate learning appear to be absent in Islamic
school.

D. CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY/WESTERN EDUCTION IN NIGERIA

Islamic education started from the northern part of Nigeria while Christian
Missionary education started from the southern parts of Nigeria. Its spread
moved into hinterland and gradually northwards. However, of all the
agents of imperialism, it was the Christian missionary who made the most
revolutionary demands of Nigerians. The missionary did not want the
wealth from the Nigerian soil, nor the fruits of her forests, nor even any
portion of her soil. His desire was the conquest of the Nigerian Soul for
Christ.
But before the coming of the Christian missionaries, we had an ordered
society. This society was very indigenous or traditional. Its form of
education was traditional. The religion was also traditional sometimes
euphemistically referred to as the pagan religion. So the dual responsibility
of bringing to Nigeria the Christian religion and western education fell
upon the Christian missionaries were unamenable to any form of
compromise.
In 1485, the first Portuguese traders landed at Benin. By 1515 spasmodic
missionary activities had started in Benin when some Catholic
Missionaries set up a school in the Oba’s Place. This school was meant to
serve the Oba’s children and the sons of his palace chiefs. The catholic
missionaries also established a seminar on the Island of Sao-Tome off the
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west coast of southern Nigeria. But all these were short-lived, for the
influence of the slave trade wiped them off.
Despite the failure of the first missionary experiment, the second
missionary wave yielded better results. In the 1840s some of the rescued
slaves who were on a trading expedition from their new homes in Sierra
Leon found their way back to Egbaland their ancestral home. Some moved
up to the new capital Abeokuta. There at Abeokuta, these freed slaves met
some of their kith and kin and told them baffling stories about their
experiences as salves. Their miraculous freedom, the white man’s religion,
his school and culture. After hearing these moving stories some Egba
people became eager to experience some of the white man’s way of life. On
their part, the freed Nigerians who managed to get back home felt that they
had come back to place of darkness. They therefore sent frantic messages
to the missionary’s headquarters in Freetown, Sierra Leon, to send their
men to bring light to them. It was like asking them to “come over to
Macedonia and help us”.
In response to these appeals and calls from Egbaland, the Methodist
missionary sent Rev. Thomas B. Freeman, to Badagry in 1842. He arrived
in September, 1842 and started work immediately. With the help of the
local people, he builds a mission house and started prayer meetings on
Sundays. In December 1842, Freeman visited Abeokuta and opened a
mission for the emigrants. Freeman left behind at Badagry Mr. and Mrs.
De Graft of the same mission to continue his work of evangelization. In
addition to their evangelical work, this couple opened the first school at
Badagry called “Nursery of the infant Church.” As early as this time the
missionaries had discovered that they would not successfully carry on their
work of Christian evangelization without the help of western-type
education. so, whenever the missionaries opened a mission, that centre or
house was used both as school and as a church.
In January, 1845, Henry Townsend of the church Missionary Society (CMS)
landed at Badagry with a formidable team of able assistants. The team
included Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the man who later became
the first Nigerian Bishop. In august, 1846, they moved to Abeokuta after
having established a mission including two schools at Badagry.
In 1846, the Church of Scotland Mission (CSM) which was based in Jamaica
in the west Indies sent Rev. Hope Masterton Waddell to Calabar for
missionary work, surprisingly, on reaching Calabar, Hope Waddell
succeeded in establishing a mission school which eventually, gave rise to
the famous Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar.

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Thomas Bowen of the American Baptist Mission in 1850 arrived Badagry.
From Badagry, Bowen moved to Ijaye where he built his first station at
Ogbomosho. The same year J.M Harden extended the Baptist mission’s
influence when he came from Liberia to join Bowen. He opened mission
schools at Lagos, Oyo Shaki, Igboho and as far as to Ilorin.
The Brazilian ex-slaves who had settled in Lagos also wanted a Catholic
mission school in Lagos. In 1868 the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM)
granted the requests of the ex-slaves and a mission school was opened in
Lagos.

The Philosophy of Christian Missionary Education

The main purpose of the christen missionaries was to convert the heathen
to the Christian faith. Another was to civilize them. They sooner or later
found out that they could accomplish these through the establishment of
schools so, they set out that they could accomplished these through the
establishment of schools so, they set out to lure people into accepting their
Christian doctrines. These centre on the belief in one God though his son
Jesus Christ as well as what to them amounted to good living habits. Their
philosophy was “the Bible and the plough or the church and the school”. In
some areas, particularly at the early stages, they encouraged plantation
farms, alongside with Christianity. In the majority of places, the school
went hand in hand with the church.
To be able to communicate with the local inhabitants, the missionaries had
to teach the natives their English Language. Nigerians had to learn how to
read and write the Whiteman’s language. Since not all would benefit by the
knowledge of the English language, missionaries also undertook the study
of the local languages which were taught in local schools. Thus, many
adherents learned how to read the bible and sing the church hymns in their
languages. The missionaries were therefore forced by circumstances to
establish schools including Sunday Schools.
At underlying philosophy of Christian education was that salvation came
through understanding and accepting the word of God. This understanding
and accepting the word of God. This understanding is facilitated by the
ability to read the Bible; hence to read was a basic feature of Christian
missionary education.

Curriculum of the Christian Missionary Education

Clearly, various missionaries who pioneered the establishment of schools
in the country were merely interested in turning out literature Nigerians.

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Such Nigerians were meant to be able to read and interpret the Bible. This
would compare favorably with the curriculum of Islamic education. The
type of curriculum found in missionary schools reflected missionary desire
to teach the English Language. Arithmetic, Religious Knowledge, Writing,
Dictation, Moral Instructions, Drawing and Singing. Interestingly enough,
even with the colonial Government, the curriculum was different. Their
initial need was in the area of clerks, court messengers and interpreters. In
most of the schools therefore all that constituted the curriculum was
reading, writing, numeracy skills and singing.
Closely related to the “3RS” was a bias for religious and moral instruction.
As Christian missionaries their sole purpose for establishing schools was
to use them as a means for converting the local people into Christianity.
Accordingly, the various missions did not shy away from achieving their
primary aim. Every subject of instruction was given religious
interpretation. In many cases, the Bible was the primary text used. Moral
instruction was also fervently taught in an attempt to make the pupils live
exemplary lives.

Factors Favored the Spread of Christian Education

Initially, the freed slaves spoke very favorably of the wonderful works of
God in releasing the oppressed. Generally, the down-trodden saw
Christianity as a religion of the poor and lowly.
In the course of time, particularly since the first quarter of this century,
many villages or groups of villages began to apply for mission school. The
yearning did not indicate an interest in Christianity. The demand was
primarily for the Whiteman’s book knowledge. Its possession was, to
many, a passport to power and freedom from strenuous and manual
labour. Then, success in it guaranteed comfortable employment. It had
commercial and economic attraction. Finally the freedom which
missionary enjoyed as they moved about in the course of their preaching
made the spread of Christian education possible. For these reasons,
Christian missionaries seemed to have succeeded in southern part of
Nigeria.

E. WESTERN EDUCTION IN NIGERIA

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The Rule of the Colonial Government
The colonial government established itself in the colony of Lagos in 1851. It
did not then previous study, the provision of western type of education as
exclusively in the hands of Christian missionaries.
From the early 1870s, the colonial government began to appreciate the
work already being undertaken by three missionary bodies.
These were the Church Missionary Society CMS, the Wesleyan Methodist
Mission and the Roman Catholic Mission. In 1872, the colonial government
proposed to spend as much as one thousand pounds (1,000) as granted to
these missions. In the end, it could only afford thirty (30.0) pounds which
was distributed among the missionary bodies as grants. Between 1874 and
1876 the colonial government had increased its annual grant to each
missionary bodies to one hundreds pounds. (100). in 1887, the annual
grant to each of the Christian missions was two hundred pounds (200). By
this gesture, the colonial government gradually became involved in the
provision of western-type of education in Nigeria.
It had shown its interest in the educational work in west Africa when it
promulgated the first education for the colony of the gold coast in 1882. By
then, the colony of Lagos, together with Gold Coast (Ghana), Sierra Leon
and the Gambia was administered as part of the Gold Coast Colony. This
was the colonial Government’s first effort to control western-type of
education in West Africa.
The 1882 educational ordinance provided, among other things the setting
up to a general Board of Education. Part of the function of this Central
Board was to establishment of Local Boards which were recommend the
opening of government schools and the receipt of grants by voluntary
agency schools.
In 1886, the colony of Lagos was separated administratively from the
colony of Gold Coast. It then became necessary to promulgate an education
ordinance specifically for the colony of Lagos. The 1887 ordinance for
Lagos colony provided for a Board of education with power to grant
scholarship for secondary education.
In 1889, the colonial government opened the first primary school in Lagos.
This was followed with another school in Benin City in 1901. In 1903 the
first department of education for the colony of Lagos was established. A
director of education and four education officers were appointed. In1906,
the colony and the protectorate of Southern Nigeria was established and in
1908 an education ordinance was passed for the new territory. This

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ordinance divided Southern Nigeria into three provinces; Eastern,
Western and Central Provinces. Three boards of education were created
for the provinces. In 1909 the colonial government established the first
Government Secondary School in the whole of Nigeria. This was
established as Kings Collage, Lagos. This was followed by Katsina Teacher
Training Collage established in1921.
In 1925, the colonial office in London introduced a memorandum titled,
“Memorandum of Native Education in Tropical Africa”. The memorandum
set down the aims and objectives of education in the tropical Africa.
However, following the introduction of this memorandum a new education
ordinance was passed by the colonial government for Nigeria. It was called
the 1926 education ordinance. The main feature of this ordinace was that
it checked what was called the haphazard development of education in
Nigeria. In 1927, the first Girls School, Queens College, Lagos was
established. The amalgamation of 1914 did not affect education until 1929
when the two Directorates of Education were amalgamated by the colonial
government. The man appointed the first Director of Education for Nigeria
was Mr. E.R.J. Hussey. He assumed office in September, 1929 and almost
immediately began to reorganize the educational system in the country.
The colonial government had in 1929, established two teacher training
collages, one at Umuahia and another at Ibadan. In 1931, the two were
converted into Secondary Grammar Schools. In 1932, Hussey introduced
the first post secondary Institution in Nigeria called Yaba Higher Collage.
In 1948, Yaba collage was transferred to Ibadan to become the nucleus of
the University Collage Ibadan. By 1960, the University of Nigeria Nsukka
was established by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. Ahmadu Bello University was
established in 1962, followed by university of Lagos.

The role of Private Individuals and the development of Education in

Nigeria
We cannot over-look the role of private enterprise in the development of
western education in Nigeria. Professor Babatunde Fafunwa is of the
opinion that the contribution of parents and relatives were almost as
important as those of the Christian missionaries. By the early 1930s most
schools in the eastern Nigeria had already begun to realise the importance
of western education.
The rise of African nationalism was a factor which influenced many
proprietors. It made them realize that education was a means of
emancipating the people from ignorance. It was felt that the exiting

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mission schools perpetuated colonial mentality. There was then the need
to liberate the peoples mind so as to enable those joins in the struggle for
African Nationalism.
In 1913 when the Baptist Mission under Rev. Griffith fell out with Rev.
Euba, a Nigerian teaching in the school, Reverend Euba forestall the move
of sacking him by resigning. He founded the Eko Boys High School in
Lagos, thus becoming the first Nigerian to establish a private school. In
Eastern Nigeria, the first of this private school was the Aggrey Memorial
Collage, established at Arochukwu by Sir Alvan Ikoku in April 1932. This
was followed by Enitonna High School founded by Rev. Potts-Johnson in
May 1932 in Port Harcourt. In 1938 National Institute, was established at
Calabar, the precursor of the West African Peoples’ Institute was founded
by Professor Eyo Ita. By the forties many other Nigerians established a
number of secondary Grammar and commercial schools. mention can be
made in the following; the New Bethel Collage Onitsha founded by
Chukwurah Abbot Group of Secondary Schools at Ihiala and Warri
founded by Okeke, Etukokwu, St. George’s Collage Enugu founded by
Chiedozie and eastern commercial academy founded by Aro.

F. NIGERIAN EDUCATION SINCE 1960

The Development of Primary Education in Nigeria
The development of primary education in Nigeria after independence was
based on thee Ashby recommendations. The government of northern
region felt that the greatest need was to accelerate the expansion of the
primary schools. Its aim was to attain the Ashby report target of 25% of
children of school age to be in school by 1970. The government also
designed a programme that was to advance the region into Universal
Primary Education UPE as soon as possible. At the same time,
infrastructures were to be laid in terms of post-primary facilities in order
to ensure balance education development.
The Eastern and Western Regions were already archiving their quality of
primary school populations through their universal primary education
programmes. Problems were becoming enormous because of poor quality
staff and falling standards amidst the high cost of education. The east had
to scrap its own UPE and directed its attention to teacher training with the
views to achieving high quality working the schools. In the west, the
successful implementation of their UPE since 1955 left them with the time
to concentrate on raising the standard of teaching in schools.

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The Development of Secondary Education
The post Independence development of secondary education centered on
the following problem areas.
a. The expansion in primary education created a high demand for
secondary education.
b. The Ashby Commission had called for increased numbers in the
secondary school population and a revision of its curriculum.
c. Some commissions appointed to review the educational system found
out that the content of secondary school education as well as the
methods of instruction in such schools was inappropriate.
d. Other problems is identified included the over emphasis on book
education in the secondary school. Pupils despised manual work.
Science curriculum was poor. All these contributed to falling
standards of education.

Government saw the root cause of all these problems as the poor quality
and quantity of secondary school teachers. The graduate teachers were in
very short supply. Government tried to have expatriate teachers to meet
this demand. But paying for the passages was too much on the lean
resources of the regional governments. And worse still many of these
hirelings stayed only for a term of two years or three and refused to renew
their contract.
However, to meet the increasing number of secondary school students,
Government opened many new secondary schools. Generally the
curriculum was English language, mathematics, history, geography,
religious knowledge, local language, fine and applied art, general science,
biology, chemistry and physics, France was taking gradually the place of
Latin and Greek. The grammar school kept its lead and remained the
darling of both parents and students. The higher school i.e. sixth form as
not so successful except in a few government well established schools with
enough graduate teachers and laboratory equipment.

G. THE 1969 CURRICULUM CONFERENCE

The National Curriculum Conference held in Lagos in September 1969 was
a major landmark in the history of Nigeria education. What was unique
about this conference was that it was not a conference of experts and
professionals. Rather, it represented a conference of a cross section of the
Nigeria society: trade unions, farmers, religious organisations, university

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lecturers and administrators, businessmen and women, youth clubs, and
ministry officials.
The curriculum conference was not concerned with preparing a national
curriculum, nor was it expected to recommend specific contents and
methodology. It was to review the old and identity new national goals for
Nigerian education, bearing in mind the needs of youths and adults in the
task of nation building and national reconstruction. The conference
identified the following areas as crucial to the attainment of the conference
objectives.
1. National Philosophy of Education
2. Goals of Primary Education
3. Objectives of Secondary Education
4. Purpose of Tertiary Education
5. The Role of Teacher Education
6. Functions of Science and Technical Education
7. The Place of Women Education
8. Education for Living
9. Control of Public Education

References
Fafunwa, Babs. A. History of Education in Nigeria, London George Allen
and Unwin 1974
Taiwo, C.O., the Nigerian Educational System: Past, Present & Future lags,
Thomas Nelson (Nig.) Ltd. 1982.

THE END

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