INTRODUCTION

Sierra Leone is bounded on the north-west, north and north-east by the Republic Guinea, on the south-east by the Republic of Liberia and on south-west by the Atlantic Ocean. It has an space of 27,925 sq. miles. The colony of Sierra Leone originated within the sale and cession in 1787 by native chiefs to English settlers of a chunk of land supposed as a house for African settlers who had been waifs in London and later it was used as a settlement for freed African slaves. The hinterland was declared a British Protectorate on twenty first August, 1896. Sierra Leone attained independence on twenty seventh April, 1961 and have become a Republic in 1971. Training is supplied by each non-public and state-sponsored faculties. The present system of training is 6-3-4-4 (that’s six years Main faculty, three years Junior Secondary Faculty, 4 years Senior Secondary Faculty and 4 years tertiary/larger training. This method is complemented by non- formal Education.

CONCEPT OF EDUCATION

Training is steadily used within the sense of instruction within the classroom, laboratory, workshop or home science room and consists principally within the imparting by the trainer, and the acquisition by pupils, of knowledge and psychological in addition to guide abilities. A wider which means than instruction is that of education. That’s to say all that goes on throughout the faculty as a part of the pupil’s life there. It contains, amongst different issues, relationship between pupils and academics, pupils and pupils each in and outdoors the varsity. J. S. Mill (1931) opined that no matter helps to form the human being; to make the person what he’s or hinder him from being what he isn’t is a part of his training. Implicitly training is lifelong and ubiquitous; it’s the sum whole of all influences which go to make an individual what he’s, from beginning to loss of life. It contains the house, our neighbors, and the road amongst others.

Training is to some extent a deliberate deliberate course of devised and performed by the educator with the aim of imbuing the learner with sure data, abilities, of thoughts and physique in addition to modes of conduct thought-about fascinating. Partially it’s the learner’s personal response to the atmosphere wherein he lives. Training has three focal factors: the person/individual upon whom the educator’s influences are dropped at bear; the society or neighborhood to which he belongs; and the entire context of actuality inside which the person and society play their half. Man is a social creature; he grows as an individual via the affect of character on character; and even for his fundamental bodily wants he depends upon the assistance and cooperation of his fellow women and men. With out society and the mutual assist and enrichment of experiences which it supplies civilization is inconceivable and the lifetime of man, in Hobbes’ phrases, is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and brief.”

One of many elementary information of human existence is the stress between the pull of the previous and the ahead urge into the long run, between stability and alter, custom and innovation. For efficient dwelling,man wants a circle of safety, an space of established habits and relationship which kinds reliable relationships. That is additionally true of society. For its efficient functioning there have to be an underlying continuity of traditions and outlook which preserves its identification as a society and safeguards it towards the disruptive results of change. Change have to be for all times and never static however this modification in flip have to be managed by the essential traditions of society. It’s custom which supplies a nation its character and distinctiveness as a society. The conservation of custom subsequently is clearly essential.

It has been acknowledged from time immemorial that the conservation of conventional training has a significant half to play within the growth of the kid. The kids of immediately are the adults of tomorrow; they have to be educated subsequently, to inherit and perpetuate the beliefs and modes of life peculiar to the actual society to which they belong. For each society has the will to protect itself not solely bodily however as neighborhood consciously sharing sure goals, beliefs and patterns of conduct. This kind of training shouldn’t be essentially formal in faculties by the use of classroom instruction however that effected not directly via the household and thru the affect on the person of social influences and customs which the kid can not evade. In Sierra Leone this social training included elaborate ceremonies of initiation involving feats of endurance wherein younger women and men should show themselves worthy of the neighborhood. The last word objective was to supply a person who was trustworthy, respectful, expert, cooperative, and who might conform to the social order of the day. As Aristotle as soon as acknowledged “the structure of a state will undergo if training is uncared for. The residents of a state ought to at all times be educated to swimsuit the structure of the state. The kind of character applicable to a structure is the ability which continues to maintain it as additionally it is the state pressure which initially created it” (p. I).

TRADITIONAL EDUCATION IN SOCIETY

Conventional training has each a inventive and conservation operate in society; it’s a highly effective technique of preserving a society’s customs, if not tradition. Prior to now the character and desires of society performed a significant half in figuring out the character of training. Professor M.V.C. Jeffreys (1950) as soon as wrote in his e book, Glaucon, that “in a tranquil society the tutorial system will are likely to mirror the social sample, whereas social uneasiness and instability create alternative for utilizing training as an instrument of social change”(p.7). The same view was shared by John Dewey (1897) who opined that via training society can formulate its personal functions, can manage its personal means and sources and thus save itself with definiteness and financial system within the route wherein it needs to maneuver. Training appears to be like each to the previous and the long run; inevitably it displays the traditions and character of society. Conventional training can be utilized to organize for modifications in society and anticipate and stop modifications or the results of modifications in society.

Conventional training conserves and palms on the customs and methods of life which represent the character of a society and maintains its unity. It additionally helps society to interpret its capabilities in new methods to satisfy the challenges of change, searching for methods or traces of growth that are according to the traditions and customs and can on the identical time increase society to a extra full achievement of itself.
TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN SIERRA LEONE

Historical past reveals that there have been no formal faculties the place kids had been educated in Pre-colonial Sierra Leone. The Poro and Bondo/Sande Secret Societies had been appeared upon as establishments to coach kids. They had been bush faculties. And the training these bush faculties supplied was casual. Kids who went via these secret societies had been thought-about able to finishing up their civic tasks. They turned adults and may marry and begin life. They thought-about themselves as one household. In different phrases each Secret Societies created a way of comradeship and unity amongst members regardless of household, clan or ethnic affiliation. It was subsequently thought-about that kids who had not gone via these secret societies weren’t absolutely matured.

The Poro Secret Society is for boys. The religious head of the Poro Society is Pa Gbonu, seen solely by the older graduates or members. The bodily heads are the Pa Sama Yorgbors and Pa Somanos. They direct the actions of the establishment. The senior instructors are the Pa Kashis, who usually educate and provides directions to different initiators. The Pa Manchiyas function academics to the initiates whereas the Kachemas are the scaring spirits. They scare the ladies and youngsters alike along with the brand new initiates. The Rakas are the errand boys carrying messages round. The Yambas are the pinnacle boys. The Bomos are the senior prefects whereas the Sayboms are the prefects; and the screens are the Gbanaboms. Casual lessons are held within the Secret Poro Bush. The themes taught embrace Artistic Sensible Arts, Performing Arts, Sensible Agriculture, Drugs i.e. use of native herbs for the therapy of various illnesses), warfare and different abilities. In Artistic Sensible Arts initiates are taught methods to make fishing nets, baskets, mats, and carving wooden and cleaning soap stones into completely different objects similar to animals and people; in Performing Arts initiates are taught singing, dancing and using Poro musical devices. In Sensible Agriculture initiates observe farming. Boys are taught to bear hardship with out criticism and develop accustomed to it. Thus they’re taken to the farms of their academics and elders to work on professional bono foundation. Nevertheless throughout the harvest season initiates might move via these farms taking no matter they want and eat with out being questioned by farm homeowners. Initiates are taught to respect elders and use of weapons to kill animals. In the same vein initiates are taught methods to use weapons in combating in protection of their communities. Different abilities initiates are taught embrace making fish traps, fishing and searching internet, and basketry. In using herbs initiates pay cash (some freely given) for therapeutic numerous sicknesses in addition to for defense towards enemies, evil spirits and snake bites. Initiates who wish to trigger hurt to others utilizing herbs might ‘redeem’ the herb/drugs involved. Over all initiates are taught a brand new Language spoken solely by members referred to as Ke Sornor. For instance fonka trika which means I’m speaking to you; fonka bonomi which means Speak to me. Using this new Language makes graduates very proud and really feel completely different from non-initiates. Graduates come out with new names similar to Lamp, Langba and Kolerr. A commencement ceremony climaxes the occasion.

Mother and father make huge preparations together with stitching attire for the graduates. To mark the commencement ceremony there may be feasting, ingesting, dancing and singing reward songs for the graduates and their dad and mom. These certified for initiation should have been circumcised and grown to age of puberty. They must stay on their very own throughout the interval of coaching which ranges from one to seven years. Graduates are absolutely admitted to the overall Poro society via one other ceremony referred to as Enkorie, which lasts for 4 days.

The Bondo/Sande Society is the establishment the place women are educated for womanhood. Its religious head is Na Bondigba. The Na Gboyamas and Na Wulus are the bodily heads. These have religious powers used to predict the long run and catch witches. They’re the senior academics. The Na Sokos are the service academics. They will provoke women even as much as the superior stage of the Society. The Digbas are the overall academics and keep near the initiates. The Sampas are the skillful dancers and errand women/ladies. They make bulletins in regards to the progress and actions or applications throughout the commencement ceremony.

The Na Fets, because the identify implies have no idea all of the secrecy of the establishment. They carry the institutional implements and regalia. The Karr Ayeamus are the ‘waiters’ to be initiated into the upper standing of the establishment. Ladies admitted to the Bondo/Sande Society are educated informally. Courses are held at Kantha or sacred dwelling. The academics are largely involved with the transmission to those adolescent women the abilities and data which grownup ladies are anticipated to own in an effort to operate correctly and intelligently of their neighborhood. The themes women are taught embrace Cooking, Performing Arts, Fishing, Husband and Little one Care, and Dwelling Administration. In Cooking women are taught methods to put together meals via commentary and participation within the preparation of assorted dishes and are later allowed to have a go along with little or no supervision. Those that couldn’t prepare dinner correctly are allowed to repeat. In Performing Arts women are taught methods to compose and sing songs and methods to beat the Bondo/Sande drums (sambories). Alongside singing women are taught methods to dance and people who dance effectively might be part of the hierarchy of the Sampas. Ladies are additionally taught methods to fishing, make fishing nets, fishing baskets, sleeping mats from bamboo and palm leaves. Additional women are taught methods to assist their potential husbands and methods to deal with kids particularly these of senior members. Just like the Poro Society commencement ceremonies are marked by huge preparations. Each dad and mom and potential husbands would purchase new attire, slippers, perfumes, powder, and beads to make neck laces. On the day of the commencement ceremony the brand new initiates are arrayed in white with coronets. They arrive out with new names similar to Burah, Yeanor, Rukor and Yainkain. This demonstrates an indication of maturity. Initiating women into Bondo/Sande society lasts between a couple of months and three years.