INTRODUCTION
Education is the development of the children mentally,
physically, spiritually, socially etc to enable him conform to the culture of
his people and become a contributing member of the society. Greeks education had famous
philosophers and their on education, which form part of this writing became the
basis of our so called modern education.
The
Greeks are also remembered for their philosophers and their desire for athletic
competition. Three of their greatest philosophers were students of the last
one, they were revolutionary, creating schools and educating the masses. These three
man’s legacy started with so crates.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF GREEK EDUCATION TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN EDUCATION
1. Equal
Education Opportunity for Both Sexes:- Sparta and all other Greek city
state laid emphasis on women education. This by implication meant that equal
education opportunity was provided for both sex. In Nigeria western type of
education was initially the prerogative of male. But since 1960 more emphasis
has been placed on women education many women organization have come to
champions women education e.g women in education group. Remarkable progress has
been made in the southern parts of the country. But in the Northern parts the
practice of early marriage constitutes a problem. Girls who would have
furthered their education are given to marriage at the tender ages of fifteen,
sixteen and seventeen year or even earlier.
2. National
Service:- In Sparta, Athena and in fact, all the Greek city, young men at
18 took Ephebic oath which was an oath of the allegiance to the state. After
taking the Ephebic oath the young men went on national service for two years.
Perhaps in Nigeria the ideal of the National youth service corps must have been
a legacy from Greek education. People who complete the education in institution
of higher learning and are under 30years of age undertake a one year national
service called National youth service corps.
Also Sparta curriculum was made up
of physical exercise e.g gymnastics, boxing, hunting, running, pentathlon,
jumping, throwing. In addition, the Spartans also had music drama and poetry as
pail of their curricula. Every Athenian was supposed to have a sound mind in a
sound body. The Athenian curriculum thus was made up of reading writing, music,
poetry, mathematics and gymnastic.
Also through this development
brought about a child of the age from 2-4 years, was send to school for proper
education, where he was taught writing, reading writing arithmetic music. At
the age of 10-16 years he practiced more gymnastics and military training.
3. State
Control of Education:- In Greece
both Sparta and Athena had all public system of education. Plato insisted that
national objective can only be achieved through a state government such as Imo
and Anambra state promulgated public education edicts which enabled the state
government to take over all primary and post primary institutions in their
respective states.
Education for Relevance:- Sparta was a warrior city state, therefore, its aim of
education was for militarism. Athena has a different aim of education. It was
for the all round development of the individual but the emphasis was on
intellectualism. These two city state channeled their system of education
towards the achievement of their stated objectives. In Nigeria, attempts are
being made to use education for the solution of relevant problems. This may
explain the introduction of the new 6-3-3-4 education system.
5. Education
Theory and Philosophy:- The Greece through their philosophers were among
the direst people to develop a systematic and comprehensive philosophy of
education.
In Sparta, the aim of education was
to produce warrior citizen for the defense of the city state.
In Athena education aimed at
producing the philosopher kings who would govern an ideal state with justice at
it supermen goals. In recent times, efforts are being made in Nigeria to
formulate a philosophy of education. The 1969 curriculum conference and the
1977 and later 1981 national policy on education are cases in point.
6. Olympic
Games:- The ancient Greek stared the Olympic game these have continued to
be held once every four years. During this period, there was a national trace
and all quarrels and fighting among the city states lased. It served as a bond
of unity.
Athletic completions such as race,
throwing the javelin and discuss were completed for at mount Olympic by all the
city states. Soon, other countries of the world, joined so has Nigeria although
there are no national Olympic Games. Nigeria participates in the international
Olympic games.
More importantly many sport
festivals in all aspects of sports are organized for the twenty one states of
the federation. During these competitions. National honours are vied for these
competition among the state are expected to serve as a bond at unity binding
all Nigeria together.
7. Monocracy:-
Plato’s system of education was based on monocracy. In Greek higher
education which dialectics or philosophy was studied as structural in such a
way that only those who were capable of benefiting from it were admitted. These
were the philosopher kings who passed religious examination during the previous
forty year.
Although
Nigeria has a system of examination based on merit, yet one is not sure of the
validity of these examination cases of cheating and impersonations during
examinations weakens the Nigeria system.