edu 304 - comparative education - National Open University of Nigeria

Unit 3: Education in England
1.0 Introduction
Exposing the learners to education theory and practice in England
will afford them the opportunity of comparing the practices of education
in Nigeria with that of England.
2.0 Objective
At the end of this unit, you should be able to compare and contrast
the practices of Education in Nigeria with that of England.
3.0 The Content
3.3.1 Background
Education in English at the initial stage, was provided by
voluntary agencies including the churches. However, such schools
founded by the voluntary agencies were financially aided by the
government. With the rapid growth in population as well as the
expansion in the Industrial Sector and the enactment of education Act of
1870, schools' boards were established to assist the Voluntary Schools,
later, the parliamentary Acts Elementary Education made elementary
education compulsory and free.
The beginning of a national education system in Britain can be
traced to the HADOW REPORT of 1926. It was this report that brought
about the reorganization of the elementary education. In the same vein,
the SPENS report of 1938 also assisted the reorganization of the
elementary education and the recommendation of technical secondary
education.
In the development of education in Great Britain, the Catholic
played significant roles as quite a number of the Voluntary Schools were
founded by them. However, the education Act of 1902 gave the
following three levels of education.
3.3.2 (a) The Elementary School
This school is designed for the children aged 5-14 years, in order to
ensure that majority of the children attend elementary school,
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