NATIONAL
TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE, KADUNA
HISTORY
OF EDUCATION
PRESENTED
By
SALAU
RAHEEM
APPLICATION
NO: APP/PGDE/2025/1092
PHONE:
NUMBER: 07039762488
LEVEL:
1, FIRST SEMESTER
COURSE
OF STUDY: POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION
COURSE
CODE: (PDE 701)
12TH
APRIL, 2025
QUESTION:
EXAMINE THE ADVENT OF WESTERN EDUCATION IN NIGERIA VIEWING IT STEP BY STEP AND
THE CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED
INTRODUCTION
The advent of Western
education in Nigeria refers to the beginning and growth of formal schooling
brought by Europeans, especially Christian missionaries, in the 19th century.
Before Western education arrived, Nigerians had their own traditional ways of learning
through family, community, and religious teachings. However, when the
missionaries came in 1842, they introduced a new form of education that focused
on reading, writing, and religion, especially to help people read the Bible.
Over time, Western education spread across the country and played a big role in
shaping modern Nigeria. This journey happened in different steps and faced many
challenges along the way.
QUESTION
1: STEPS IN THE ADVENT OF WESTERN EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
Step
1: Arrival of Christian Missionaries (1842)
Western education
started in 1842 when Christian missionaries arrived in Badagry (in present-day
Lagos State). They began to teach people how to read and write so they could
read the Bible. This was the foundation of Western-style schooling in Nigeria.
Step
2: Establishment of Missionary Schools
Missionaries such as
the Church Missionary Society (CMS), Methodists, and Catholics set up the first
schools. These schools focused on religious teaching, reading, writing, and
arithmetic (basic math). They were built close to churches.
Step
3: Government Support and Involvement (Early 1900s)
The British colonial
government began to support the education efforts of the missionaries by
providing funding (grants-in-aid). It also established government schools to
expand access to education in other parts of the country.
Step
4: Expansion of Schools and Subjects (1930s–1950s)
More schools were
opened across the country, and more subjects were added such as science,
history, and geography. Education became more organized, and trained Nigerian
teachers began to emerge.
Step
5: Government Control and Wider Access (Post-1960)
After Nigeria gained
independence in 1960, the Nigerian government took control of most schools.
More public schools were built across urban and rural areas. Education became
more inclusive for boys, girls, and people of all ethnic and religious groups.
QUESTION
2: CHALLENGES OF WESTERN EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
LOW
INTEREST IN WESTERN EDUCATION
Many Nigerians,
especially in the early years, were not interested in sending their children to
school. They preferred their children to work on farms or trade.
The journey of Western
education in Nigeria was not easy and came with many challenges. At first, many
Nigerian parents did not want their children to attend school. They preferred
that their children help on the farm or join them in trading, which they saw as
more useful than classroom learning. Also, the use of English language in
teaching was a big problem because most people only spoke their local
languages. This made it hard for students to understand lessons. In addition,
schools were mostly located in the towns and cities, while villages and rural
areas were left out. As a result, many children had no access to education.
RELIGIOUS
AND CULTURAL RESISTANCE
Many Nigerians,
especially Muslims in the North, rejected the Christian-based education system.
Some feared that schools would convert their children to Christianity.
Another major challenge
was the cultural and religious difference. Many local people, especially
Muslims in the northern part of Nigeria, were not comfortable with
Christian-based schools and refused to send their children to them. In the
early years, there were also not enough trained teachers to give quality
education. The few teachers available were often overworked. Finally, the type
of education provided by the British colonial government was mainly designed to
produce low-level workers, not people who could help Nigeria grow
independently.
LANGUAGE
BARRIER
Lessons were taught in
English, which most Nigerians did not understand at that time. This made
learning difficult for many students.
One major challenge
faced during the early years of Western education in Nigeria was the use of the
English language as the medium of instruction. At that time, most Nigerians
only spoke their native languages and had no understanding of English. As a result,
students found it very hard to follow lessons, read books, or communicate with
their teachers. This language barrier made learning slow and difficult, and
many students lost interest or dropped out of school because they could not
understand what was being taught.
LIMITED
ACCESS IN RURAL AREAS
Another major challenge
of Western education in Nigeria was the limited access to schools in rural
areas. Most of the early schools were established in towns and cities where the
missionaries and colonial officials lived. As a result, people living in
villages and remote communities had little or no opportunity to attend school.
Children in these areas had to travel long distances to get to the nearest
school, which was often difficult and unsafe. This lack of access caused many
rural children to miss out on education, widening the gap between urban and
rural development.
SHORTAGE
OF TRAINED TEACHERS
There was also a
serious shortage of trained teachers during the early years of Western
education in Nigeria. Many of the people teaching in schools had little or no
formal training and were not well prepared to handle classrooms or teach
different subjects. This affected the quality of education, as students did not
receive proper guidance and support. In some cases, one teacher had to teach
many classes at the same time, which made learning less effective and slowed
down the progress of students.
CONCLUSION
The advent of Western
education in Nigeria was a major turning point in the country’s development. It
began with the efforts of Christian missionaries and later received support
from the colonial and Nigerian governments. Step by step, education spread
across the country, helping to produce educated Nigerians who could work in
different sectors. However, the journey was not without challenges such as
language barriers, poor access in rural areas, religious resistance, and a
shortage of trained teachers. Despite these problems, Western education laid
the foundation for modern schooling in Nigeria and continues to play a key role
in the nation’s growth today.
REFERENCES
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