| Basically prior to the coming of the Europeans or more | | | | their especially girls to school. This is still exhibited in |
| aptly introduction of Western education in Nigeria there | | | | some parts of Nigeria today. |
| were basically two distinct education systems in | | | | |
| Nigeria namely the Indigenous system and Quoranic | | | | There is no doubt however that one needs to |
| type. Formal or Western education was brought to | | | | commend these early European missionaries who left |
| Nigeria perhaps in 1843, a system which added to the | | | | their countries and tirelessly established these schools |
| already existing two bring the systems to three. | | | | even though certain drawbacks may have undermined |
| Indigenous system entailed becoming apprenticed in | | | | these gestures in so many ways. |
| crafts and services in leather works, painting, medicine | | | | |
| etc passed down in families. Skills are acquired in this | | | | On the 25 January 1976 the Federal Government of |
| way and utilized. Quoranic system had to do with | | | | Nigeria acting on the idea or advice of Alhaji Yakubu |
| Islamic education in which a child learns the whole lot of | | | | Adamu the Executive Chairman, kano State Primary |
| the chapters of the quoran usually by rote and said his | | | | Education Board changed from the former 7-5-3 |
| prayers regularly as required. | | | | system of education to 6-3-3-4 systm. In 1982, the |
| | | | | same Nigerian Governent established the Junior |
| Western education in Nigeria as introduced by the | | | | Secondary School (JSS) and senior secondary School |
| Europeans mainly was all about the spread of | | | | (SSS) dividing the system into two i.e. junior and |
| Christianity and was thought useful and important to | | | | secondary the same Nigerian government argued was |
| evangelism which appeared to reign supreme in the | | | | aimed at awarding certificates after the first three |
| hearts of these Europeans other than the much | | | | years of junior school and second years of senior |
| desired education by Nigerians. Perhaps the Europeans | | | | schools. It is however very clear that the Federal |
| were of the opinion that the combination of education | | | | Republic of Nigeria erred when it suddenly jumped into |
| and evangelism was a necessity in achieving their | | | | the system. |
| aims. | | | | |
| | | | | Till Today I am yet to see any junior secondary school |
| The spread of western education was successful in | | | | “graduate” awarded with a certificate in search |
| the southern part of the country were curiosity to learn | | | | of job or further educational pursuit. This system will |
| was considered very high. In the forefront of the | | | | hurriedly replace the West African GCE ‘O’ |
| introduction of this western styled education were | | | | Level in 1989 is nothing but effort to produce nothing. It |
| Methodist Church of Scotland Mission, the Church | | | | is no news that our standard of education has fallen |
| Missionary Society (CMS) and the Roman Catholic. | | | | completely to the ground with the Nigerian government |
| These missionary worked so hard to spread western | | | | fast neglecting the education sector. Public schools are |
| education particularly in the south. In the north the | | | | rotting away and now declared a no go area in the |
| difficulty of efficiently planting western education was | | | | minds of the people and by the people.When Nigerian |
| considered not very smooth because the region had | | | | graduates are not employable (Prof. Charles Soludo) |
| already deeply rooted in Islamic education and a host | | | | How is the system introduced by the Nigerian |
| of other reasons, still the missionaries continued to put | | | | Government comparable to that operated by the early |
| in their efforts. It should be noted that Islamic education | | | | European Missionaries? |
| was delivered under the tutelage of Malams and | | | | |
| scholars. | | | | Nigerians are now getting accustomed to the |
| | | | | establishment of private universities too expensive for |
| Some people have argued that the system of | | | | the children of the common masses who require |
| education as handed down by the Europeans was | | | | education. Church owners in Nigeria have joined the |
| ultimately aimed at merely producing Nigerians who | | | | race too. It is now the race to establish, control and |
| could only read and write and no more. They further | | | | spin money using universities. Many of these |
| argue that the subjects taught in majority of the | | | | universities are no go areas for the poor masses. So |
| elementary schools such as Scripture, English | | | | the question again is who are these universities |
| Compositions, English Grammar, Arithmetic, Geography, | | | | established for? When Nigerians see these universities |
| Music, Singing, Reading, writing, Dictation, and sewing | | | | and run to Ghana we start asking ourselves what is |
| (Fafunwa, 1974) Prof. Babs Fafunwa may not share | | | | wrong with these big expensive universities. |
| this idea though. | | | | |
| | | | | The Nigerian Government needs to do something |
| It held that the combinations of subjects like these will | | | | about it fast before it gets too late because when |
| produce nothing of teachers, Court clerks, Interpreters | | | | education becomes out of bounds for its citizens, the |
| etc. These may not be a misleading idea anyway but I | | | | citizens will choose nothing but ignorance. Early |
| wish to state that there were other militating factors | | | | European missionaries did better and deserve our |
| on the part of Nigerians such as unwillingness to send | | | | praise. |