General Studies And Current Affairs 2026 Njfp Job

It is a misconception to say that Western education has completely supplanted (replaced) traditional education. While Western formal education is the dominant system for certification and formal employment, traditional education still exists in various forms across Nigeria, particularly in the transmission of indigenous values, crafts, and social norms within families and communities. The two systems often coexist, with many Nigerians receiving formal schooling while simultaneously being socialised through traditional methods. Therefore, the claim that it has been entirely supplanted is false.

British rule in what is now Nigeria is generally traced back to 1861, which marked the formal annexation of Lagos as a Crown Colony. The British intervened under the pretext of suppressing the slave trade and mediating local conflicts, leading to the signing of the Treaty of Cession with Oba Dosunmu. This event established the first formal British administrative foothold on Nigerian soil, predating the 1900 creation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates and the eventual 1914 amalgamation.

In the early stages of British education in Nigeria, the system faced numerous hurdles, including a severe shortage of qualified personnel and the absence of a unified legal framework to regulate schools. However, the 'support of local chiefs' was not a problem; in fact, it was often a facilitating factor. Many local rulers welcomed missionaries and education as a means of gaining prestige or providing their subjects with the tools to navigate the changing political and economic landscape brought by the British presence.

During the early colonial period, education was definitely NOT a priority for the British administration. The colonial government was initially focused on trade and administrative stability rather than social services. Consequently, the task of providing education fell almost entirely on Christian missionary bodies, who used schools as a tool for evangelism. It was only much later, following various education ordinances and reports, that the colonial government began to take a more active, funded interest in the educational sector.

In the early days of the formal school system in Nigeria, particularly following the government's intervention in missionary schools, fees were structured on a monthly basis. This was often a reflection of the economic realities of the time, allowing for a more manageable payment schedule for parents who were transitioning into a cash-based economy. This monthly system preceded the more modern 'per term' structure now common in the Nigerian educational system.

The 1870 Elementary Education Act (often referred to as the Forster Act in British history, which influenced colonial policy) was significant because it marked the beginning of government commitment to providing education. In the colonial context, it led to the conceptualisation of Education Boards to oversee and regulate the activities of schools. These boards were essential for creating a structured system where the government could begin to monitor the quality and curriculum of the education being provided by various missionary groups.

The 1882 Education Ordinance was the first formal legislation to apply to the British West African colonies (Lagos, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, and Gambia). It established a General Board of Education and the office of the Inspector of Schools. However, the option suggesting it was passed to show the 'interest of colonial government to support education' is the outlier because, in reality, the ordinance was more about control and standardisation with very limited financial support. The government's actual financial contribution remained extremely meagre for many years following the ordinance.

The Rev. Metcalfe Sunter was appointed in 1882 as the first 'Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools' for the West African colonies. A former principal of Fourah Bay College, Sunter was tasked with visiting schools and determining which ones were eligible for government 'grants-in-aid' based on their performance and facilities. His reports were influential in shaping early colonial educational policy, although he was often critical of the lack of standardisation in the missionary-led system.

While the 1882 Ordinance applied to all British West African colonies, the 1887 Education Ordinance was the first piece of legislation specifically designed for the Colony of Lagos (which later became part of Southern Nigeria). It separated the educational administration of Lagos from the Gold Coast. It established a more localized Board of Education and introduced more specific criteria for the certification of teachers and the awarding of grants, making it the first 'purely' Nigerian-focused education law.

In 1906, the British colonial administration merged the Lagos Colony with the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria to form the 'Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria'. This was a significant administrative step towards the eventual amalgamation of the entire country. This merger aimed to unify the administration of the southern territories and utilize the healthy revenues from Lagos to support the development of the hinterlands, setting the stage for the 1914 union with Northern Nigeria.