Education is a universal concept that
differs from society to society. What is regarded as educative in one society
may not be so in another society. Education is normative word and
normative words are both descriptive and evaluative. They connote that the
concepts are worthwhile and desirable. According to Plato (Rusk, 1965:30)
education is what makes a man eagerly pursue the ideal perfection of
citizenship, and teachers hil how rightly to rule and how to obey. In effect,
that one is a trained medical doctor, lecturer, trader etc does not make him an
educated man. For such a man to be
regarded as educated, he must be virtuous that is he must be good, he
must be an ideal citizen. Plato’s definition agrees with that of traditional
African society in its emphasis on character development as the most important
man. A priest who embezzled church funds is not an educated person.
Ukeje
(1979) defines education as the process of transmitting, preserving, developing
and advancing the culture of a people. Okafor (1984) maintains that a process
of acculturation through which the individual is helped to attain the
development of this potentialities, and their maximum actuation when necessary
according to right reason and to achieve thereby his perfect self and
fulfillment.
There are main component of
indigenous educations curriculum.
1. Social: The
curriculum should follow the necessary information about the child’s community
. The history of the community, the natural environment of the child, the
village gods, marriage customs, coronation ceremonies, lustration ceremonies,
various festivals, the chroniclers the exploits of the community heroes and
warriors and time of celebration and sacrifices of all kinds. In some situation
of the ceremony the male child may be required to be seen. In another way some
of the ceremonies may require the females of young or old hiding themselves.
2.
Vocational: the child
is taught how agricultural activities before ham to any vocation. There are
other vocation like black smiting, carving and painting leather works, hunting
or fishing. If the boy decides not to be a full time farmer. The girls
understudy their mother in the art of buying and selling simple goods in the
village market or they learn home marketing learn cookery, do menial jobs in
the farm like weeding, planting, cocoyam and vegetable crops and taught special
roles of a housewife. It implies that indigenous education is employable except
for the lazy ones.
3. Moral and Character: Here the child will
know the believes, Norms, in the community and how to adapt on it. He is made
to know behaviors which attract moral
lapses and deviations from the norm. behaviors, such like fornication adultery,
thief, insubordination, poising, attract special punishment. It will make them
to inculcate, develop moral character.
4. Health Education: there curriculum is well
develop this expect of curriculum has a sound knowledge of preventive medicine.
The forest offered a good resources for various herbal drugs. Tree barks,
leaves, seeds roots etc were easily get from the forest for preventive and
permanent cues those things used in preventing witch crafts off the compound or
antidotes for poison were generally known by the average child. A health and
normal child will be would be forced to join his kith and kin in learning the
age grade dances, contently as physical fitness exercise and
fishing,shooting,expeditions. It will help in performance of good health
education.
According to Oliver, he provides the
best of educational programmes, in order to come closer to essence of our
subject.
1. Programme of studies: Is the
presentation of curriculum in difference levels of education.
2. Programme of Activities:It may be
defined generally as a programme which embraces all the activities capable of
enhancing the academic experience of students.
3. Programme of Guidance: This implies
as a programme of services which its ultimate purpose is to help student
acquire the capacity for self- direction or self guidance.
THREE TYPE OF GUIDANCE
1.Vocational Guidance: This is the
oldest of the three kinds of guidance.
2.Educational Guidance: This deals
with the selection and choices of subject of study.
3.Personal- Social Guidance: This
deals with orientation and function.
TO
RELATE INDIGENOUS EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM TO THE PRESENT CURRICULUM IN OUR SCHOOL.
In the ancient days indigenous education
is not really well organized to compare with our present computerized
education.
Our present curriculum is very
essential in term of studying and it guide the students on specific ways of
reaching their goals .The education programme, which is the present curriculum
is very critical and industrious. Here students are given necessary information
guidance, and roles of acquiring themselves a better knowledge of education. Indigenous
education students are not taught how to study and make a research themselves
because there is no equipment to make use of when necessary BUT in our present
curriculum there is enough equipment in our school to coup with and students
are allow working with it practically and bringing out a good result.