WHY HISTORY OF EDUCATION SHOULD BE STUDIED IN TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN NIGERIA

1. The study of history of education helps teachers in training to appreciate the various aspects of their past educational process so as to link them to the present;
2. It enables teachers in training to know what type of education we had and the purpose it served in the past;
3. It gives teachers in training the opportunity of knowing our past mistakes in our education with the view to making necessary amends;
4. History of education gives teachers in training the opportunity of studying other people’s educational ideas and programmes with the aim of developing ours;
5. It also gives teachers in training a solid foundation to plan for our present and future educational development;
6. History of education guides teachers in training to proffer some positive solution to our present day educational problems;
7. It helps teachers in training to understand some major trends and developments in our educational system;
8. It helps teachers in training to formulate and implement better philosophies of education;
9. History of education is a good academic exercise to improve teachers in training knowledge;
10.It widens the scope and knowledge of the teacher and makes him more comfortable and competent in his class;
11.Knowledge of history of education can help teachers in training to be competent in handling any political appointment on education, nationally or internationally.

History of Education will help you to understand how the past events shaped the present education systems, theories and related phenomenon in the area of teacher education in particular and education in general. Secondly, it will enable you to appreciate the importance of education to mankind since time immemorial across the generations. By so doing, you are will be able to critically examine the fundamental part which education plays in the transformation of society. Note that as a teacher, you are a change agent so learning the history of education will prepare teachers in training to examine present trends and dynamics in education, draw practical lessons from the past, avoid possible mistakes, and initiate more viable plans for the benefit of Society.
The teaching and learning of History of Education in Nigeria is therefore justified for many reasons, some of these include the fact that it would enable teachers in training to have adequate knowledge of; what our educational policies are and what they are not; the philosophical ideas guiding the Nigerian education; the contributions of the ancient nations and scholars to the development of the country’s education and the major trends in the development of our education in Nigeria which may encourage them to be willing to contribute their own quota to the development of education in the country whenever they are in the position to do so.

REFERENCE
1. Fafunwa1,2, A.B. (1974). History of Education in Nigeria
        (pp. 20-27). London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd.
        ISBN 0-04-370047-0
2. Jekayinfa 1, A.A.& Kolawole,D.O. Conceptual Background to the
        History of Education in Nigeria (2008). In J.O.O. Abiri &
        A.A. Jekayinfa. Perspectives on the History of Education in
        Nigeria (pp. 1-20).Ibadan. Emola-Jay-Co.
        ISBN 978-006-411-7
3. Adeyinka, A. A. (1998); History of education in Nigeria Mimeograph
4. Ajayi, J.F.A (1965). Christian missions in Nigeria 1845-1881: The             making of new eliteIbadan history series 1. London:             Longman.
5. Ayandele, E A. (1966). The missionary impact on modern Nigeria,             1812-    1914: A political and social analysis -Ibadan, history         series 3 London: Longman.
6. Fafunwa. A. B (1974). History of education in Nigeria. London:             George Allen and Unwin Ltd.
7. Fajana, A. (1978), Education in Nigeria, 1847-1930: A historical             analysis Longman: Printing Press.
8. Amaele, S. (2003) A Study Guide on History and Policy of Education
9. Nigeria. Ilorin: NDEMAC (Nig. Publishers) Ltd.
10. Osokoya, I. O. (1989) History and Policy of Nigerian Education in         World Perspective. Ibadan: AMD Publishers.