The Changing Values of History of Education in Nigeria: Matters Arising

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue VII, July 2018 | ISSN 2454-6186

The Changing Values of History of Education in Nigeria: Matters Arising

Ikurite, Numoipre¹ and Jerome Ibejika Wosu Ph.D²

 ¹Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education,
Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education, Sagbama, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
²Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract:-The paper examined the changing values of history of education in Nigeria. A brief explanation was given how history was previously expunged from our Nigerian school curriculum and how it was brought back in 2002 by the then President Olusegu Obasanjo. The paper went further to examine the concepts of history, education, looking at formal informal and non-formal as well as general ideas in the definition of education. The concept of history of education was also discussed briefly. Teacher education and its foundation were also discussed as well as who should be a teacher and his qualities were discussed. It also enumerated the goals of teacher education as in (FRN, 2004). The paper goes further to discuss the relevance of history of education to the teacher as well as the relevance of it to the society. The paper concluded by saying that the knowledge of history of education is indispensable for teachers to perform their duties effectively. And finally it was suggested that history study be made compulsory in our schools.

Keywords: Education, History of Education and the Teacher.

I. INTRODUCTION

A review of history teaching in Nigeria has Left us with the manifestation that the subject is fast going into extinction and is becoming a subject of the past, as it is often referred to, as the subject where the past is studied. At one time in the country, history as a school subject was completely expunged from the syllabus as if there was no need for people to understand or know their history and that of the society in which they lived. sequel to the removal, some experts and professionals rose to the challenges by salvaging history teaching and learning from being relegated to the background and leading to the reintroduction of the subject in the curriculum of secondary schools in Nigeria but still offered as optional subject, particularly at the senior secondary and not at all in primary and junior secondary as it used to be.
The feat of bringing history back into the syllabus was achieved under the auspices of the “Historical society of Nigeria who took the bull by the horns and did everything, including consultation with relevant government agencies that matter. They drew the attention of the nation to the dangers and consequences of the Nigeria citizens, not knowing their history (Abdurahman 2017). Although nothing came out of this initial efforts. But in 2002, the then president Obasanjo announced the return of history to our syllabus.

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