COURSE CODE:EDU 101 FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION

COURSE LECTURER: DR. (Mrs) MUSA H. M.

HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

Education generally is a way of life. The idea of education began to spread that childhood should be a time for learning
and schools were developed as places for learning. Nigeria had got her own unique way of disseminating instruction to
the younger children in the ancient period in African way of life. Africa/Nigeria educational background is organized
and practiced through traditional /indigenous education process. Education has been defined in so many ways by
scholars and researchers. The common and most comprehensive definition of education is that “Education is a bridged
between confusion and comprehension; as a weapon for liberation to combat poverty; ignorance and diseases; a store of
civilization; a rocket for transporting man from a state of intellectual subservience to a state of intellectual sovereignty”.

History is referred to the past, the present, and the future instances, events or vivid account of a certain phenomenon or
development that occurred. Thus after the occurrence of such, someone in somewhere now decides to give the details
regarding that phenomenon or development without adding to or removing from the instances, events or circumstances
as the basis of forming an opinion on what to do next. As any other nomenclature, history got so many definitions in the
past and present generations. Teggart (1972) viewed it as narrative statement; Agbola (1999) observed that through
different epochs of human existence, starting from the era of the Greek man called Herodutus concluded that the
question of what history is, is yet to gain acceptable definition. Taiwo (2003) viewed history as the account of the past
development in relation to the present. Wikipedia free encyclopedia (2019) defines history as an umbrella term that
relates to the past events as well as memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation and interpretation of
information about events.

THE CONCEPT OF HISTORY OF EDUCATION

Education in Nigeria has got a long story of development. Being the colony of the European countries, evidently,
western way of teaching came to Africa with its rules, methodology and traditions.

History of education then, is the study of the past that focuses on educational issues. These include education systems,
institutions, theories, policies, themes and other related phenomena. This means when you study the past, you will be
able to understand the process of education and how it evolved up to the present era. The study of any type is expected
to take place in a serene environment that is filled with other aiding instructional materials and equipment for any
history to be balanced. The systematic provision of learning techniques to most children, such as literacy, has been a
development of the last 150-200 years, or even last 50 years in some countries.

History of Education in Nigeria comprises the development of education at various levels and growth of knowledge and
idea that have been serving as basis for that development in the educational pattern of administration and planning in the
country. The educational approach of the differences between the formal, informal and non-formal types of education is
paramount.

* Read on Significance of History of Education in Nigeria.

THE OVERVIEW OF TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

Traditional education, otherwise known as African indigenous system of education is seen to be as old as the creation of
the world itself. The history of education is not complete without making reference to adequate knowledge of Africa
indigenous educational system with the characteristic prevalent in pre-illiterate societies like Africa before the advent of
Islam and western education. Indigenous education is as old as humanity which persists even today, showing no sign of
disappearance from the scene of education.

In old African society, the purpose of education was clear; functionalism was the main guiding principle. African
society regarded education as a means to an end and not as an end in itself. Education was generally for an immediate
induction, into society and preparation for adulthood. In particular, indigenous education emphasized social

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responsibility, job orientation, political participation, spiritual and moral values. Children and adolescents were engaged
in participatory ceremonies, rituals, initiation, recitation and demonstration. They were involved in practical farming,
fishing cooking, carving, knitting and so on (Amusan, 2010). Recreation subjects include writing, dancing, drumming,
acrobatic display, racing, while intellectual training subjects include the study of local history, legends in the
environment such as local geography, plants and animals, poetry, reasoning, riddles, proverbs, storytelling and story
relays.

Education in old Africa was a narrated experience which is internalized as and when learning might have taken place. It
combined physical training with character molding and manual activities with intellectual training. Every stage is
demarcated either by age level or years of exposure; the child was given a practical test relevant to his experience and
level of development and in terms of the job to be done. This was a continuous assessment approach of those years
which eventually culminated in a passing out ceremony or initiation into adulthood. Babs Fafunwa (1991) is of the view
that: Education in old Africa was not rigidly compartmentalized as it is the case in contemporary system today.
Educators talk about universities without walls, schools without classes and subjects without grades. The aim, content
and methods of traditional education are intricately interwoven: they are not divided into separate compartments as in
the case of Islamic and Western system of education. The indigenous education however, failed to conform to the ways
of the westernized system, some writers have considered it primitive, even savage and barbaric due to total
misunderstanding of the inherent value of informal education. Nonetheless, evaluating any educational system, one
must determine the extent to which it is meeting the needs of a particular society at any given time.

African indigenous education otherwise known as traditional education is the system of education which an individual
receives outside the four walls of classroom or school settings in accordance with the cultural practice(s) of the
community which he or she belongs to.

It is equally described as education which is received from our parents at home that aimed towards developing children
moral, social, physical, emotional, spiritual and mental competencies which make them fit well and contribute
positively to the growth of the society. Therefore, traditional education is thus the process of developing an individual
within the ambit of the cultural practices of a particular heritage and at the same time be useful to himself and his
community at large.

GOALS OF TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

 Functional education.  Promotes honesty, respect, probity, transparency,

 Life-long learning. cooperation which makes it convenient for an
 Age is no barrier. individual or group of individuals to conform to
 Women’s education inclusive. the social order of the day and the entire
 Vocational training. community at large.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

1. The development of child’s latent physical skills.

2. The development of character.
3. Inculcating respect for elders and those in position of authority.
4. The development of intellectual skills.
5. The acquisition of specific vocational training and the development of a healthy attitude towards honest labour.
6. The development of the sense of belonging and the encouragement of active participation in family and
community affairs.
7. Understanding as well as appreciating and promoting the cultural heritage of the community at large.

CHARACTERISTICS OF TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

1. There was great importance attached to traditional education.

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2. It was collective and social in nature.
3. Its intimate tie with social life both in a material and spiritual sense.
4. Its multivalent character, both in terms of its goals and means employed.
5. Its gradual and progressive achievements in conformity with the successive stages of physical, emotional and
mental development of the child aids better learning achievements.
6. It establishes a unique system of training and acquisition of knowledge for up to date transmission of values
and norms of the community/society from one generation to another.
7. It serves as a tool employed by societies to provide such a holistic system of training for personal and
community development.
8. It postulate the cultural values, norms and beliefs of societies (its traditions, history, legends, folklore, dance,
music) and also, how to produce certain things needed for the survival of the entire society regarding food,
clothes, tools, housing, crafts among others.
9. Content and stages of delivery is unplanned unlike western form of education.
10. Teaching-learning characteristics begin from the day the child is born where special rites are performed by the
head of the family.
11. The principles of self-development, communalism and acceptance of the existence of a supreme being who co-
ordinate all natural phenomenon have been the major nature and characteristics of African traditional system of
education.
12. Full of trials and errors while training/impacting, secrecy, non-formality, no age limit and flexibility abounds.

ADVANTAGES OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

1. It promotes transfer of culture, tradition, norms and customs from one generation to another.
2. It is functional in nature (entrepreneurial).
3. It inculcates respect for the Supreme Being and elders in society.
4. It laid emphasis on moral education.
5. It teaches relationship among people and to exercise control over emotions.
6. It makes learning easier to take place anywhere anytime.
7. It serves as background knowledge for children in western education.
8. It encompasses all ages, sex and groups.
9. It allows learners to learn at individual pace.

DISADVANTAGES OF INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

1. The same body of knowledge and experience is passed on from generation to generation without modification
or critical appraisal.
2. The nature and type of training is unquestionable.
3. Too much secrecy surrounds the content of traditional education.
4. The system instills fear in the mind of the learners should they violate any of the underlying custom.
5. The vocational training takes unnecessary too long time to learn a particular trade.
6. It discourages initiative and creativity.
7. The system leads to inequitable distribution of resources and marginalization of women.
8. Most of the traditional societies are close or hostile to outside influence. e.g. technological change.

SIMILARITIES WITH NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION

 Inculcate the right types of values, attitudes and skills that would enable individual useful to the society.
 Character building, intellectual development, skill acquisition, vocational training, moral and spiritual
development, social integration, leadership training, life preparation among others.

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 ISLAMIC EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

In Nigeria, the history of Islamic education is dated back to 11th century when Sayfawa court of the Kanem empire was
converted to Islam. Islamic education is seen as a process by which values are spelt out in the Holy Quran and the
traditions of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are handed down from generation to generation so as to enable individual
used the knowledge acquired to know and serve his/her creator and for survival in the society. Wherever Muslims
exists, schools are found for the teaching of Islamic education.

By early 16th century, Islamic/Quranic education has taken a new dimension with the establishment of centres of
learning in Borno, Zaria, Sokoto, Kano and Katsina. The teachers were mostly Arab scholars and traders while the
syllabus was mainly reading, writing and memorization of the holy Quran and reading of certain selected text in Arabic
language and literature, logic and Islamic Jurisprudence.

The exposure of Quranic education across northern region in the 19 th century gave wider popularity for its spread in
Nigeria. As a result of demand by Muslims for formalization of the system in schools, the first government Muslim
school began in Lagos in June 1896. Similar schools were operated in Epe and Badagry. However, the traditional
Quranic schools flourished especially in the North, Middle Belt & South West. The word Qur’an means ‘recitation’
and this was, and it is still the main goal of Quranic education.

FEATURES OR CHARACTERISTICS OF ISLAMIC SCHOOLS

1. It was designed to maintain and propagate Islam.

2. Emphasis was on verbatim oral mastery of a body of written words, teachings and rituals.
3. It is a system of self-paced learning with no fixed grades.
4. The learning of literacy skills to supplement oral mastery and leading to acquisition of knowledge.
5. The school operates every day of the week except for Friday or Thursday in some places.
6. The key item used were wooden slates and wooden pen on which the verses of the Quran were inscribed and
then learned by heart.
7. The proprietor is the sole administrator and teacher of the school, normally located in the mosque which serves
dual purpose of school and place of worship.

OBJECTIVES OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION

1. To make the Muslims become literate and expose to the scope of Islamic and scientific discovery.
2. To train teachers who would be able to teach the Islamic religion to people.
3. To introduce the learning of the principle and legal system of Hadith to the followers of Islamic religion.
4. To learn the doctrines of Quran in order to maintain and propagate the religion of Islam.
5. To introduce Arabic numerals to the people of Nigeria.
6. To make people embrace and knowledgeable which connotes submission of oneself to the oneness of God
Almighty as the supreme being worthy of worship.

FACTORS THAT HELPED THE SPREAD OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION

1) Trans-Sahara Trade: North Africa with West Africa.

2) Islamic Jihad: Obedience to commandment of Allah and encouraging others to do so, engaging in good deeds,
making effort to acquire knowledge and imparting it to others.
3) Activities of Muslim Scholars: Free education or teaching of Quran.
4) Islamic teachings did not discourage traditional practices except the ones that contradict the basic principles of
Islam.
5) Those who study Arabic language become literate.

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 STAGES OF LEARNING IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION

1. Elementary/Primary stage known as Makaranta Allo from age 2 to 7 years. Teachings were based on spelling and
memorization.
2. Secondary stage: Known as Makaranta Illimi: learners are taught the interpretation of Quran, grammer, Arabic,
literature, Islamic laws etc.
3. The post-secondary stage: learners can specialize in law, medicine, sharia, mathematics, theology etc.

ADVANTAGES OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION

 More closer to creator.  It makes people righteous citizens.

 Methodology of learning is at individual pace.  Moral education is more pronounced.
 It makes learning to be continuous.
DISADVANTAGES OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION

 Training period is not fixed.  Graduates of Quranic School find it difficult to be

 No salaries or remuneration for teachers/Mallams. employed like those who received western
 It is homogenous, rigid and instructor centered. education.
 No time-table and supervisory body for Islamic
Education.

WESTERN EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

The pro-statutory system of western type of education was the Christian Missions Society, which started in 1842 in the
coastal area and gradually spread to the Hinterland of the territory. The European missionaries and colonial masters visited
Nigerian and other African countries purposely for commercial, religious and political endeavours. The western education
was introduced by the Christian Missionaries from Europe. The Christian missionaries realized that they could not do their
work effectively unless the followers can write.

In 1861, when the British ceded Lagos, it became their colony and later called it the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. The
main objective of education was mainly religious. It provided for the adult converts and children opportunity to read the
Bible and the prayer books and the commentaries; and to sing hymns. Products of such educational settings eventually
become teachers or catechists in the church, clerks and interpreters in the government services and commercial houses.

The first legislation on education in Northern Nigeria was the Education Ordinance of 1916, which applied to the whole
country but certain different provisions from the southern provinces and the Northern provinces by their designations.

In 1939, the Southern Province was sliced into Eastern and Western Provinces. In 1947, a legislative council was set up for
the whole country under the leadership of Sir Arthur Richards. By this, the country was divided into three regions: The
West, the East and the North region. The development of the Nigerian constitution in 1950s gave increasing responsibility
to Nigerian educational system.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EARLY SCHOOLS

1. Organization: Early schools were established in churches or in church yard. They were similar in content and
method with Quranic schools. The Bible was the master book, rote learning was common, and every subject was
connected with the Bible. Christian religion was taught with the aim of winning Africa for Christ. The missionaries
win the heart before they instruct the mind.
2. Curriculum: This comprises mainly of three Rs; Reading, Writing and Agriculture. English language was use as a
medium of teaching the students.

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3. Admission of Pupils: Parents/Guardians took their children to them while some like orphans were handpicked by
the missionaries. Compensation was paid to the parents of students.
4. Funding: Pupils did not pay school fees, education was financed by the missionaries, churches, aids from mission in
Europe and gifts from friends.
5. Staffing: The missionaries and their wives were the teachers. Education was directed towards training of Christian
converts, teachers, catechists, interpreters, cooks and clerks (1842 – 1882).

OBJECTIVES OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SCHOOLS

1) To enable individual to know Jesus Christ as Lord 4) Transmission of European culture.

and Saviour. 5) Abolition of slave trade.
2) Ability to read, write and calculate. 6) To turn Africans against the worship of gods (hills,
3) Improvement of moral standard. trees, rivers).
CHALLENGES OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY EDUCATION

 Lack of organization  Poor financing.

 Lack of uniformity.  Inadequate personnel.
Education was run and financed by Church Missionary Society CMS, The Weslyan Methodists and the Roman Catholic in the
western region (Lagos) of the country. By this early period of education, colonial government didn’t showed interest in
education, their interest was on ruling or colonizing the people, but within the period of 1872 and 1877, the colonial government
offered the missionaries grant in aid system (financial assistance) and examined the contents and nature of the missionary
education to discovered the following:-

a) No common syllabus, standard textbooks and regular d) Inadequate financing of educational institutions.
school hours. e) Inadequate supervision of teachers, pupils and school
b) No central examination system. buildings.
c) No uniform condition of service for teachers.
At this stage, education became a joint venture between the missionaries and the colonial masters. The missionaries played a
leading role in the establishment and administration of the schools until 1970s when the colonial government fully took over.
The new national policy on Education, published in 1977 and revised in 1981, 1988 and 2004 which gives recognition to the
teaching of the subjects in all schools has being in use. Thus, the subject was not tampered with.

MEANING OF FUNCTIONAL EDUCATION

Functional education is the type of education that equips the recipient with the knowledge and skills needed for that
performance of productive tasks; it helps the society meet their developmental needs. According to Idowu (1999), Functional
education is the total process of bringing up individual to develop their potentials (cognitive, affective and psychomotor) to the
fullest and consequently to be able to contribute maximally to the development of the society. Arogundade (2011) viewed
Functional education as education that seeks to prepare people especially youth, to be responsible, enterprising individuals who
become entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial thinkers who will contribute to economic development and sustainable communities.
Good (1999) said, Functional education is that type of education which include an anticipated application, and thus assures that
the learner has immediate meaning, transferable into action of his learning activities. Cookey (2003) maintained that, Functional
education is the education in which the ability to perform productive tasks is more emphasized than the education that aims at
producing ideological conformity. Cookey posited that Nigerian education has not been functional because too much emphasis
has been placed on theoretical and academic knowledge, possession of certificate instead of on what one can do with the
knowledge acquired. Thus, Functional education is the education that empowers the learners with relevant knowledge,
values, skills and competencies required for productive task. Hence, functional education which is the main instrument for
national development, can be achieved in Nigeria if the following essential requirements for good quality education are
provided; Responsible, patriotic and experienced leaders at national, state and local government levels.

Developed countries like China, Japan, Russia, United State of America, Korea, Israel among others have achieved
breakthroughs due to their commitment to ensuring functional educational system in their countries.
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After Nigeria got her independence on 1st October, 1960, the general consensus was that there was the need for educational
emancipation through decolonization of the academic contents of education; to make education relevant to the needs of the
individual and the society. This led to the organization of the 1969 curriculum conference which had far-reaching the effects on
the curriculum contents, purposes, goals and objectives of education in Nigeria.

The outline of this was drafted in the National Policy on Education first published in 1977 and revised in 1998 which outline a
philosophy for country’s education, promotion of the teaching of Nigerian languages, introduction of guidance and counseling
in schools, diversified curriculum with pre-vocational and vocational technical subjects. This was characterized by the 4-4-6
system of education, while certificate exam was taken in class 5 in the western part.

THE STRUCTURE OF NIGERIAN EDUCATION SINCE 1969

There was a general apathy towards western education in the North, western education was viewed with suspicion. This problem
was a fallout of colonial government thereby restricting the activities of missionaries in the area, curtailing the spread of
Christian and western education in the area. This lead to a widened educational gap between the south and the north.

The 1959 – Sir Eric Ashby commission was set to identify the future high-level manpower needs of the country for the next 20
years. The school system was geared towards producing the desired manpower for the civil service, the recipient of western
education ultimately became misfits in their own local rural setup suited for white collar jobs in the cities.

In 1969, the National Curriculum Conference was convened which reviewed the educational system and its goals. The first
National Policy on Education (NPE) was borne and government taken over of missionary schools by Nigerian Educational
Research Council (NERC) using similar curriculum for instruction and the establishment of school management boards.

Free Universal Primary Education was introduced and a unified educational system based on the 7-5-2-3 educational policy.
This was between 1969 – 1977.

7-5-2-3 System
7 – Primary Education

5 – Secondary Education

2 – Higher School Certificate Levels

3 – University Education

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYSTEM

1. Absence of consultation with local communities on children’s education that was suited to their peculiar circumstances
which resulted in co-existence of two parallel education mode in the north.
2. Expanding education access to raise enrolments and bridge the educational gap.
3. Establishment of roles of the federal and state government in regulation and control of schools.
4. Approach by the government to develop educational blueprint that took into cognizance of the hopes and aspiration of
Nigerians.

The Goals of NPE

 Promotion of Nigeria’s unity and laying the foundation  A great and dynamic economy.
for National integration.  A land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens.
 Realizing a self-reliant and self-sufficient nation.  Development of National consciousness, national unity
 A free and democratic society. as well as social, cultural, economic, political, scientific
 A just and egalitarian society. and technological progress.
 A united, strong and self-reliant nation.  Emphasis was on vocational and technical education.
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 6-3-3-4 System From 1979 – 1998
6 – Universal Free Primary Education

3 – Junior Secondary School

3 – Senior Secondary School

4 – University Education

Education was shared responsibilities among the three tiers of government – Federal, State and Local Government.

Primary education was a joint venture between state and local government with the local government responsible for teachers’
salaries.

The federal government control post-secondary and non-formal education and university.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SYSTEM

 Crisis of educational funding due to oil glut in the world market in early 80s which led to sudden decline in revenue from
petroleum products.
 Re-introduction of school fees in primary education.
 Evaluation of pupils/students’ performance and certification through continuous assessments and examination was
introduced.
 Recognition of importance of language as a means of preserving the culture of the people and forging national unity (three
major languages in schools) Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

Challenges of the System

 Language policy  Financial problem  Inadequate statistics

 Political problem  Public enlightenment

9-3-4 System 1998 – 2004

Junior Secondary Certificate – 9 – Universal Basic Education

Senior Secondary Certificate – 3 – Post Basic Education

University degree – 4 – University Education

FEATURES OF 9-3-4 SYSTEM

 A tool for promoting national unity, total development and equipping individual with knowledge and skills for adaptation into
the larger society.
 Opportunities for religious instruction according to faith of pupils and parents.
 A means of eradicating illiteracy and equal educational opportunities.
 Minimum standard for entry into teaching profession was raised from Teacher Grade II certificate to National Certificate of
Education.
 Financing of education were diversified to include Education Tax Fund.
 Nomadic education for Fulani cattle rearers and Ijaw fishermen.
 Admissions to universities be based on 60% science based programmes and 40% humanities due to the new technological
advancement globally.
 Graduates of basic education to possess literacy and basic life skills, ethical, moral and civic values.
 Establishment of an effective institutional framework for monitoring learning and teaching.
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 OBJECTIVES OF UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION

1. To developing in the entire citizenry a strong consciousness for education and commitment to its vigorous promotion.
2. Ensuring acquisition of appropriate literacy, numeracy, manipulative, communicative and life skills as well as the ethical,
moral and civic values needed for laying a solid foundation for lifelong-learning.
3. Allow recipients to continue careers through apprenticeships and other vocational training programmes after the nine years.

CHALLENGES OF THE 9-3-4 SYSTEM

 Failure of university to meet the prescribed science – humanity ratio in admission, in favour of humanities due to social
demands.
 Science and technology are grossly under-developed in Nigeria economy thereby ill-equipping beneficiaries with the needed
skills for national development.
 Excessive demand for higher education, extreme regional disparities in school supply, and poor school quality.
 Improper implementation of educational policy and funding crises.
 Acute shortage of infrastructure and facilities with unqualified teachers in the schools.
 Emphasis is on theoretical knowledge at the expense of skill acquisition.

BENEFITS OF THE 9-3-4 SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

1) It made education in Nigeria the government responsibilities in terms of centralized control and funding.
2) It had a broad curriculum aimed at creating learning opportunity for all children irrespective of sex, background and ability.
3) It specified the functions of adult education, non-formal education, special education, open and distance learning.
4) Integration of Quranic school programme as well as programmes for out of school children.

WHO IS A TEACHER

The key personnel in the institutions who play an important role to bring about learning experiences to lead their students from
the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge are teachers. It is the teacher who is mainly responsible for implementation of
the educational process at any stage. A teacher is a person with the accurate and specific ability, intuition, education,
experience, skills, knowledge and qualifications to teach a specific or number of subjects, either voluntarily or for pay.
A teacher is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence or virtue, in a formal or informal setting. A
teacher must undergo through the study of pedagogy, the science of teaching and continuing professional development.
The academic and professional standards of teachers constitute a critical component of the essential learning conditions for
achieving the educational goals of a nation. Therefore, a teacher is a disciplinarian, controller of student behaviour, parent
substitute, judge of achievement, organizer of curriculum, scholar and researcher.

QUALITIES OF A TEACHER

The quality of a nation depends upon the quality of its citizens. The quality of its citizens depends not exclusively, but in critical
measure upon the quality of their education, the quality of their education depends upon the quality of their teacher. Thus, a good
teacher should possess the following qualities amongst others:-

1. Able to communicate in all forms, transcribing, facial expression and interpreter.

2. Ability to share and work with others (Professional Learning Community- PLC).
3. Able to work in a constantly evolving environment.
4. Engaging in various activities that make teaching-learning a success e.g. talking, demonstration, observant, writing,
movement.

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5. Sympathetic, attentive and empathetic with positive attitude towards students taking a whole lot of individuality into
consideration.
6. Exercise more patience in the classroom and elsewhere.
7. Teaching for lifelong experience with life and contemporary examples and experience.
8. Willingness to share knowledge and experience with others, discoveries and findings, contributions and views of students.
9. Dedication to continue learning, exploring and innovative through constant reading, interneting, researching and schooling.
10. Value real world learning through participating in various activities that can bring about modeling in teaching life.
11. Confidant to students and the society.
12. Good listener.
13. Strong communicator.

FUNCTIONS AND ROLES OF A TEACHER

The function of teachers is to help students learn by imparting knowledge to them and by setting up a situation in which
students can and wiling to learn effectively. The following are among the numerous roles of a teacher:-

1) Instructional Specialist: Authority and mastery of subjects areas.

2) Curriculum Specialist/Designer: Understanding the synopsis and components.
3) Classroom Supporter: Capacity to solving teaching and learning problems.
4) Learning Facilitators: Cooperating for team work.
5) Mentor: Advisors, role models and counseling.
6) School Manager and Administrator: Administering vision and mission and working for the success of the school.
7) Resource Person: Constant update of knowledge, website, printed materials and E-books.
8) Tracking improvement and performance of students through continuous assessment and exams.
9) Encouraging and counseling students.
10) Catalyst for Change: Generating innate capacity of students.
11) Learner: Continuous learning from students and other resource person.
12) Data Coach: Passing information, sharing views and internet collaborator.
13) Transparent and share best practices.
14) Engaging individuality.
15) Effective classroom management.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Philosophy of education is the branch of applied or practical philosophy concerned with the nature and aims of education and the
philosophical problems arising from educational theory and practice. Philosophy of education is the use of philosophical tools,
theories, methods and principles for the explanation and solutions of educational problems. Philosophy of education examines the
goals, forms, methods and meaning of education. The term can be used to describe fundamental principles and practices of
educational aims and objectives. Education practice is ubiquitous in and across human societies, its social and individual
manifestations so varied, its influences so profound, subjects is wide-ranging involving issues in ethics and social/political
philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind and language and other areas of philosophy. Philosophy of education
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concerns itself with both sides of the traditional theory/practice divide. That is, it hooks both inward to the parent discipline and
outward to educational practice and the social, legal and institutional contexts in which it takes place. Examples are the nature of
the knowledge worth teaching, character of educational equality and justice. Philosophy of education has long history in the
western philosophical tradition, from Socrates’ battle with the Sophists to the present day.

SOCIOLOGY OF EDUCATION

Sociology in brief, is a scientific study of human behaviour in groups, having for its aim the discovery of regularities and order in
such behaviour and expressing these discoveries as theoretical propositions or generalizations that describe a wide variety of
patterns of behaviour. Sociology also involves the study of human groups and how they operate through established institutions and
institutionalized patterns of behaviors which are more or less adapted to the specific functions of society assigned to each
institution. Durkheim (1950), views education as a means of organizing the individual self and the social self, the I and the We into
a disciplined, stable and meaningful unity. Swift (1969) noted that: Education is everything which comprises the way of life of a
society or group of people is learned. He further, defined education as the process by which the individual acquires the many
physical, moral social capacities demanded of him by the group into which he is born and within which he must function.
Education is understood by many to be a means of overcoming handicaps, achieving greater equality, and acquiring wealth and
social status. This process has been described by sociologists as Socialization. Education has a broader meaning than socialization.
It is all that goes on in the society which involves teaching and learning whether intended or unintended to make the child a
functional member of that society. The role of sociology in education is to establish the sociological standpoint and show its
appreciation to education. Therefore, sociology of education can be defined as a study of the relations between education and
society. It is an investigation of the sociological processes involved in an educational institution. Sociology of education is the
study of how social institutions and forces affect educational processes and outcomes both within and outside. To Ottaway (1962),
it is a social study and in so far as its method is scientific, it is a branch of social science. It is concerned with educational aims,
methods, institutions, administration and curricula in relation to the economic, political, religious, social and cultural forces of the
society in which they function. Ezewu (1990) defines sociology of education as a scientific study of human behaviour in groups
having for its aim the convening of regularities. Examples are: family setting, peer group etc. As far as the education of the
individual is concerned, sociology of education highlights on the influence of social life and social relationships on the
development of personality. Thus, sociology of education emphasizes sociological aspects of educational phenomena and
institutions. The sociology of education is the study of how public institutions and individual experiences influence education and
its outcomes. It is most concerned with the public schooling systems of modern industrial societies, including the growth of higher,
further, adult, and continuing education. It is a philosophical as well as a sociological concept, indicating ideologies, curricula, and
pedagogical techniques of the inculcation and management of knowledge and the social reproduction of personalities and cultures.
It is concerned with the relationships, activities and reactions of the teachers and students in the classroom and highlights the
sociological problems in the realm of education.

COMPARATIVE EDUCATION

Comparison can take place wherever we have two or more things at the same time either for the purpose of having a better
understanding of the relationship existing between them or for the purpose of having a better choice. Like other concepts,
comparative education is a concept that attracts varied interpretations or definitions. Comparative education is a discipline in the
social sciences which entails the security and evaluation of different educational systems such as those in other countries. It is a

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study of two or more education system; their philosophy, objectives and aims, policy and practice of education. Comparative
Education according to Good (1962) is a field of study dealing with the comparison of current educational theory and practice in
different countries for the purpose of broadening and deepening understanding of educational problems beyond the boundaries of
one's own country. From the above definitions, the study of Comparative education allows the person involved to have a better
understanding of the system of education outside his own country. To Kandel (1957), Comparative Education is the comparison of
various philosophies of education based not only on theories but the actual practices which prevail From this above definition,
Kandel is of the opinion that comparative education goes beyond the comparison of education philosophies but also includes the
comparison of the real education practices. In his own remark on the concept of Comparative education, Adejumobi (1994) defines
the concept as a critical study of educational similarities and differences prevailing with a particular society or culture or among
various societies and cultures. From the definition given by Adejumobi, it is obvious that the idea of comparing educational
systems is not peculiar to countries or societies alone but it can as well take place within a country or society. In the same vein,
Osokoya (1992) observed that:
Comparative Education could be the comparison of educational theory and practice within a society, state, region and nations ...
that scholars could engage in the comparison of educational programmes, theories and practices even within one society. Adeyinka
(1994) gives the following definitions for the concept: A study of two or more education systems; A study of how the philosophy,
objectives and aims, policy and practice of education in other countries influence the general development, policy and practice of
education in a particular country; A study of how the development of education in the past, across the ages and continents, has
influenced the development of education in particular countries; A study of the school systems of two or more countries, and of the
administrative machineries set up to implement or to control the implementation of government policies at various levels of
education systems.

Therefore, there could be a comparative study of educational programmes within the local governments of a state, between states of
a country and between countries of a continent. The major implications of their definition is that comparison of educational
philosophies, systems and practices is not peculiar to two cultures or countries alone but it can also be localized as it has been
rightly pointed out by the other scholars in the field. Reacting to the above concepts, Comparative education is the study of aims
and objectives of education, the curriculum methods of teaching, teacher – student relationships, school calendar, mode of
discipline, design of school buildings, school administration among others which may be at the international or national levels.
A critical look at the various definitions of the discipline no doubt reveals that Comparative Education is an interdisciplinary
subject since it relies on other subjects to be able to accomplish its objectives. As an interdisciplinary subject, its scope covers the
historical development of education right from the Roman as well as the Greek civilization. It also includes the historical
development of non-formal education in any country of study. The discipline has its scope extended to the purpose or purposes of
education systems of the countries being studied, an investigation into the similarities as well as differences existing in the
educational practices of the countries under investigation.
However, subjects from where Comparative Education draws its contents includes: History of Education; Philosophy of Education;
Sociology of Education; Anthropology; Economics; Geography; Psychology among others.
It can be concluded that comparative education tries to compare educational problems as well as the solutions applied to such
problems with a view to helping one's educational practices and assists the learners to understand their educational systems better.

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