THE NATURE OF TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

The history of education is as old as the creation of man himself. Man, as a social animal, is by nature very curious and gregarious and that inspires in him the urge to explore the environments around him. Many factors come into play in shaping man’s interest “to know”.

The urge to acquire knowledge is, to a very large extent, dependent on the value system of the society. The value of education in the ancient Greece, for example, was anchored around the preparation and training of the “mentally and physically well-balanced citizens’’. The Romans, on the other hand, placed emphasis on “the military training and oracy development of its citizens” just to suit their conveniences. The England of the middle ages regarded a well-educated man to be a priest, knight or lord who epitomized intellectual, religious and moral training capable of leading the society towards achieving its desired goals. “In Old Africa, the warrior, the hunter, the nobleman, the man of character or anyone who combined the latter feature with a specific skill was adjudged to be a well-educated and well-integrated citizen of his community” (Fafunwa).

The purpose of education in the traditional African society was to set afoot a man with functional skills that would help him live peacefully among others and contribute his quota to the overall development of himself and his community. Fafunwa (1974) observed, “Society used to accord priority to the inculcation of values of “social responsibility, political participation, job orientation and spiritual and moral uprightness in the citizens”. The achievements of individuals were largely determined by how well they put into practical application the value systems mentioned above.

Ozigi, (1981) corroborated Fafunwa when he says, “there is the traditional form of education which has existed in our own societies, as in other societies, for centuries. It has taught our children, formally or informally, how to behave as members of a group (family, clan, peer, community); 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 society (food, clothes, tools, housing, crafts)”.

The traditional education system in Nigeria is life-long in nature as it aims at equipping individuals with the necessary skills and attitudes that would help them function effectively in the society. The system has been and is still effective in providing functional training and experiences in artistry, farming, fishing and other vocational skills, which are needed for the survival of the society. The realist nature of the traditional system of education is contained in its advocacy for the acquisition of the right types of values, attitudes and morals in order for the society to be tranquil and peaceful for all to enjoy living in. Every responsible member of the community serves as a transmitter-teacher and trainer of the societal norms and skills to the younger generations. They are looked upon as models of good virtues to be emulated by the young ones. The belief among a cross section of the elite community that the traditional system of education is rigidly rooted in an informal ways of training is to say the least very unfair. The system has a clearly demarcated learning experience for each age grade, which culminates into the acquisition of desired values and attitudes, and the specialisation of individuals in some specific crafts and/orocations.

There are the farmers, medicine men, fishermen, warriors, carpenters, orators, spiritualists, weavers, carvers and
many more who are tested to be highly skilled in their different calling.