1.

Under the history of Christian Religious Studies (CRS), Christian religious education in
Nigeria strives to achieve the following three things:

1. Moral and Spiritual Development – It aims to instill Christian values, principles, and
virtues that shape learners into morally upright individuals who can live according to
biblical teachings.
2. Promotion of Peaceful and Harmonious Living – CRS helps learners develop respect,
tolerance, and love for others, which are essential for peaceful coexistence in a multi-
religious and multi-ethnic society like Nigeria.
3. National Growth and Responsible Citizenship – By shaping character and fostering
discipline, honesty, and a sense of responsibility, CRS contributes to raising individuals
who can positively impact national development.

2.

1. Badagry (from 1842 onwards)

 Badagry was the earliest point of settlement for the Christian missionaries in Nigeria. In
September 1842, Thomas Birch Freeman of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission and Rev.
Henry Townsend of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) arrived in Badagry.
 They established the first Christian mission station in Badagry and preached the gospel to
freed slaves and locals.
 They introduced formal Western education, setting up some of the earliest schools such
as the "Nursery of the Infant Church."
 They also translated portions of the Bible and catechisms into the Yoruba language with
the help of local interpreters.

2. Lagos

 By the 1840s, Lagos was still under the influence of slave trade, but missionaries started
making inroads.
 Missionaries worked closely with the freed slaves and Sierra Leonean returnees to
promote Christianity and discourage slave trading.
 They began to set up small Christian communities, churches, and schools, although large-
scale missionary activities were limited until Lagos became a British colony in 1861.

3. Abeokuta (from 1846)

 In 1846, missionaries led by Henry Townsend, Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther (a

Yoruba ex-slave and the first African Anglican bishop), and others moved into Abeokuta,
the homeland of the Egba people.
 They established the first mission station in Abeokuta, built schools, and encouraged
the Egba to embrace literacy and Christianity.
  Ajayi Crowther played a central role in translating the Bible into Yoruba, helping to
spread Christianity in a culturally understandable way.
 Missionaries also introduced new crops and basic medical practices, improving social
life.

4. Ibadan (from late 1840s)

 Missionary expansion reached Ibadan towards the late 1840s. The CMS sent missionaries
there after consolidating their work in Abeokuta.
 The missionaries preached to war chiefs and common people in Ibadan, who were
interested in Western education and literacy.
 Early schools and churches were established, though Christianity spread more slowly due
to Ibadan’s status as a military power at the time

3.

1. Lack of Unified Curriculum – Each missionary body (e.g., CMS, Wesleyan, Catholic)
designed its own curriculum, often focusing more on Bible knowledge and catechism
than on broad academic subjects. This created inconsistency and limited educational
progress.
2. Shortage of Trained Teachers – Most teachers were either poorly trained catechists,
freed slaves, or missionaries themselves. As a result, teaching standards were low, and
the spread of education was slow.
3. Language Barrier – The medium of instruction was mostly English, which was foreign
to the majority of Nigerians. This made learning difficult, slowed down literacy, and
limited how well education spread in rural areas.

Detailed Explanation of One Problem: Language Barrier

One of the greatest challenges of mission education between 1842 and 1882 was the language
barrier. Missionaries insisted on teaching in English because they saw it as a way of spreading
Christianity and Western civilization. However, most Nigerian children only spoke their mother
tongues and could not easily understand English. This meant that many learners memorized
lessons mechanically without real understanding. It also discouraged parents in rural areas from
sending their children to mission schools, since they preferred instruction in their local
languages. Although some pioneers like Samuel Ajayi Crowther worked on translating the
Bible and other texts into Yoruba, this effort came too slowly to solve the widespread problem.
Consequently, the language barrier limited both the quality and the reach of mission education
during this period.
4.

The Education Code of 1882 was the first formal step by the colonial government to regulate
education in Nigeria. It introduced certain reforms to bring mission schools under supervision.
Among the things it did, here are two:

1. Classification of Schools into Government and Assisted Schools – Schools were

divided into two categories: those fully owned and run by the government, and those
owned by missionaries or private bodies but receiving government grants (assisted
schools).
2. Introduction of Grants-in-Aid System – Mission schools that met certain standards
could receive financial support (grants-in-aid) from the colonial government to help with
running costs.

Detailed Explanation of One (Grants-in-Aid System)

The grants-in-aid system was one of the most significant provisions of the 1882 Education Code.
Under this arrangement, mission schools that met government requirements—such as employing
trained teachers, maintaining proper records, and following the approved curriculum—could
receive financial assistance. This encouraged missionary bodies to improve the quality of their
schools so as to qualify for funding. However, the grants also gave the government some control
over mission education, as schools had to conform to government standards before they could
benefit. While this helped raise the standard of education, it also caused friction between
missionaries and the colonial authorities, since some missions disliked government interference
in their work.

5.

The Ashby Commission of 1959 (set up to review Nigeria’s needs in higher education for the
next 20 years) made several key recommendations to the Federal Government. Four of them are:

1. Establishment of More Universities – The Commission recommended the creation of

new universities in different regions of Nigeria to meet the rising demand for higher
education.
2. Expansion of Teacher Training – It emphasized the need to train more graduate
teachers for secondary schools and technical colleges.
3. Development of Technical and Vocational Education – The Commission
recommended strengthening technical institutes and polytechnics to produce skilled
manpower for national development.
4. Increase in Science and Technology Education – It advised the government to place
more emphasis on science, engineering, and applied fields to meet Nigeria’s
developmental challenges.