MAKING EDUCATION FIT FOR AFRICAN CHILDREN: FORTIFYING PRE AND PRIMARY EDUCATION WITH YORUBA TRADITIONAL EDUCATION IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The roles of preschool and primary school education in the upbringing of citizenry, who will make significant contributions to the society, cannot be underrated. However, for this education to accomplish these roles, not only be functional and relevant to the recipients, but also be relevant to the societal values, norms and culture. Most societies in Africa, especially the Yoruba society in Nigeria, have formal education but its relevance to the African cultural practices have witnessed a lot of criticism in literature lately. The education has been accused of raising foreigners in African soil using African human resources. Several studies have been done in the area of decolonisation and contextualisation of western education in Africa but how this can be successfully achieved has not been adequately dealt with. This study therefore, examine how Yoruba traditional education can be fused with the formal education
given to the children. Phenomenological approach was adopted. Key Informant Interview guide was used to elicit information from nine elders who had opportunity of being brought up through Yoruba traditional education and also enjoy western education to post-secondary school level. Content of  Yoruba traditional education that can be injected into the formal pre and primary education were revealed.  Based on these, appropriate recommendations were proffered.