Abstract
The issue of whether the government in Nigeria should return the schools taken from the religious organizations over four decades ago is a topic for debate. While many are arguing that such schools should be returned to their owners, others, want the government to stay action on it. It however needs not be over-emphasized that the policy of government control of schools has to a large extent guaranteed equal educational opportunities, quality education provision, increased access to education, religious tolerance, and improved national unity. When viewed from another perspective, can Nigeria afford to take another risk by returning the schools to the Missions, more so that issues of unemployment, high cost of education, religious intolerance, among others, are prevalent in the country, which the return of the schools will promote to a high level? In this paper, the roles which the Christian Missions played in the educational system were examined while the arguments for and against this initiative were examined. It is hopeful that with adequate financing, effective supervision of schools, standards put in place by the government, the agitation of people for the return of schools to the original owners will become history.
Highlights
The important roles which education play in the development of an individual and a nation, cannot be overemphasized, and have continued to showcase it as a little bride in every nation
According to Adesina (1977), Thomas Birch freeman and William de Graft were the first missionaries of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission who came to Nigeria, in Badagry in 1842, established a primary school, setting the pace for primary and western education in Nigeria
While it cannot be doubted that the Christian Missionaries left their footprints in the sand of time, having contributed immensely to the laying of a solid foundation for education development in Nigeria, the drive to return the schools taken from them needs to be taken with caution because the forces which necessitated this are still in vogue till today
Summary
The important roles which education play in the development of an individual and a nation, cannot be overemphasized, and have continued to showcase it as a little bride in every nation. According to Adesina (1977), Thomas Birch freeman and William de Graft were the first missionaries of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission who came to Nigeria, in Badagry in 1842, established a primary school, setting the pace for primary and western education in Nigeria. This attempt was followed by the CMS four years later, where a school was established in the same Badagry and another in Abeokuta. Primary Schools Established by Missions in Nigeria as of 1913
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