FINALLY REVEALED: All You Need To Know About The First Primary School In Nigeria - See Where It Is Located

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The British colonialist entry into Nigeria brought Nigerians both good and bad. However, the good side far outweighs the bad side. The introduction of education and Christianity formed the good part that the colonialist offered the greatest black nation on earth.

The first primary (elementary) school was established by the Methodist mission in the first half of the 19th century in the border town of Badagry. After the establishment of the first primary school in 1843, other primary schools were founded in other towns like Abeokuta and Ibadan in southwest Nigeria.

The primary school of 1843 was named Nursery of Infant Church. In 1845, it became St. Thomas’ Anglican Nursery and Primary School. The school was housed in the first story building in Badagry before moving to its location in Topo, Badagry where the relic of the old building can still be seen today.

Now that we know of the first primary school in Nigeria which happen to have been established in southwest Nigeria, let’s take a look at the first primary school in Northern Nigeria. 

Since the initial purpose of western education was to convert ‘pagans’ to Christianity, Northern Nigeria did not welcome western education until much later. In the North, Islamic education flourishes under highly educated Islamic scholars.

In 1865, the Bishop Crowther LGA Primary School was established in Lokoja, Kogi State by an Anglican missionary. Not much has been written about this school so I can’t tell if it was a successful attempt at western education in Northern Nigeria. 

In 1899, the British colonial government established a government primary school in Lagos for Muslim students as a result of their unwillingness to attend missionary schools. This would be the first Government school in Nigeria.

The primary school structure

Primary school education begins at the age of 4 for most of the Nigerian population. Nigeria follows the 6-3-3-4 system. This means 6 years of primary school, 3 years in Junior Secondary schools, 3 years in Senior Secondary School and 4 years at the tertiary institution.

In primary schools, students are taught mathematics, English language, Christian Religious Knowledge or Islamic knowledge studies, social studies, science and one of the three main indigenous languages (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, or Igbo). Most Private schools often include computer science, French, and Fine Arts as subjects taught in primary schools.

Scooper News also learnt that at the end of the 6th year, primary school students are required to take the Common Entrance Examination to qualify for admission into any Federal or State Secondary schools. Private secondary schools and military-operated schools often require students to take their entrance examinations as well.

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