ADEMOLA DANIEL AYOOLUWA

130305024
EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

Brief History of Education in Nigeria

Long before the Europeans arrived, education had been part of Nigerians.
The Children were taught about their culture, social activities, survival
skills and work. Most of these education processes were impacted into the
children informally; a few of these societies gave a more formal teaching of
the society and culture.
In these Societies, there are formal instructions that governed the rites of
passage from youth into adulthood. The youth is expected to have attained
the necessary social and survival skills as well as having a grounded
knowledge in the culture. These are the foundations of education in
Nigeria, and upon them were the western education implemented upon.
European Education was introduced into Nigeria in the 1840s. It began in
Lagos, Calabar and other coastal cities. In a few decades schooling in
English language gradually took roots in the Nigeria. During the Colonial
years, Great Britain did not promote education. The schools were set up
and operated by Christian Missionaries. The British colonial government
only funded a few schools. The policy of the government was to give grant
to mission schools rather than expand the system.
In the northern part of Nigeria, which was predominantly Muslim populated,
Western-style education was prohibited. The religious leaders did not want
the missionaries interfering with Islam. This gave way to establishing
Islamic school that focused primarily on the Islamic education.
Today, adult literacy has been estimated to be over 78 percent for men and
64 percent for women. These statistics were made based on estimate
literacy in English. That excludes the literacy in Arabic among northern
Muslims. It is therefore not erroneous to call Nigeria a nation dominated
with educated persons.

Prior to Nigeria's independence, Nigeria had only two established Postsecondary Institution. Yaba Higher college (founded in 1934, Now Yaba
College of Technology) and the University of Ibadan was founded in 1948. It
was then a College of the University of London until two years after the
independence when she became autonomous. More prominent universities
which include University of Nigeria, Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly
University of Ife), Ahmadu Bello University and Mohood Abiola Kashimawo
University (formerly University of Lagos) were founded in the years that
followed the Independence.
In 1970s more universities were founded which include University of Benin
(founded in 1970), and new university opened in Calabar, Ilorin, Jos, Port
Harcourt, Sokoto and Maiduguri. In the 1980s, more universities were
opened as well as institute specializing in Agriculture and Technology. A
number of Polytechnics were also opened, which includes the Yaba College
of Technology in Lagos and Kaduna Polytechnics.
In 1980, the estimated enrollment in the primary schools was 12 million,
Secondary and technical colleges 1.2 million, teachers colleges 240,000
and Universities 75,000. One would expect that with such an estimate, the
Nigerian education in Nigeria three decades after would have greatly
improved. Unfortunately the reverse has been the case.
The present decline in the Nigerian education system can be traced back to
the 1980s and 1990s. Then there was a shortage of qualified teachers, the
few qualified teachers were not paid in a timely manner. The number of
schools did not grow with the population and many of the existing schools
were inadequately funded resulting in poor maintenance. In the
Universities inadequate funding led to the shortage of space and
resources. Increase in tuition fee often resulted in riots leading to
cancellation of semesters. Industrial actions by the University Staff
requesting for higher salaries and better working conditions also
compounded the situations. However, today governors in most state are
addressing these issues.
The damage to the educational system has been done. Most graduates lack
the necessary survival and social skills that should have been learnt in
schools. These have led to many disastrous situations in the nation. The
center of the nation's growth "the Education system" no longer holds
value; hence the entire nation is falling apart. Products of the Nigeria
education system are not employable, causing massive unemployment and
under-development in the country. No survival skills leading to increased

poverty rate in the country.

The situation however is not entirely hopeless. The foundation of education
in Nigeria upon which the Europeans laid the western-style education is
strong. This has managed to hold the educational system of the country
together through the trouble days. However, if left unattended, we will all
join Chinua Achebe and exclaim: Things fall apart, The center cannot
hold... Anarchy is set forth everywhere.