Title Page Western Education in Isuikwuato, Abia State
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i TITLE PAGE WESTERN EDUCATION IN ISUIKWUATO, ABIA STATE, 1914 TO 2009 PROJECT REPORT PRESENTED FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA ENUGU STATE BY OKORONKWO, ONYIRIMBA KINGDOM REG. NO: PG/MA/11/58533 SEPTEMBER 2013 ii APPROVAL PAGE This project has been approved after due supervision on behalf of Department of History and International Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. By ___________________ ____________________ Dr. Egodi Uchendu Dr. P.O. Obi-Ani Supervisor Head of Department ____________________ External Examiner iii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my wife, children and to Almighty God for his abiding mercies on us. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to God for granting me good health, inspiration and strength to complete this work. I sincerely thank my project supervisor, Dr. Egodi Uchendu, for accepting the responsibility to supervise the work. A woman of positive and amazing disposition, she assisted, encouraged and guided me in the course of completion of this work. I equally thank my wife, Ebere Kingdom. Her interest and encouragement made me to be more focused in this work. I also extend my good wishes to all classmates whose camaraderie I will cherish for a long time. I am indeed indebted to all the lecturers in the Department of History and International Studies especially Professor Uchenna Anyanwu, Dean of Faculty of Arts, Professors O. Njoku and O. Ijoma, Drs. J. Ahazuem, P. Obi- Ani Head of Department and C. Opata, and others whose names are regrettably omitted because of space constraint; for their advice and their encouragement. Finally, to all my friends, respondents and those who had given me assistance in any form, I thank each and every one from the bottom of my heart and pray that God will reward you all abundantly. v Abstract Isuikwuato has continued to turn out many educated men and women, but no serious effort has been made to write the history of the establishment of Western education in Isuikwuato. Much of the documented data on Western education in the area of study covered the period from 1914 to the early 1950s. This has created a serious vacuum for researchers wishing to update their knowledge of this sector of the society. It is the quest to fill this vacuum that prompted this research project. Based on the fore-going, a qualitative research method was used to unearth the history and growth of western education in Isuikwuato. The study made use of primary and secondary sources of history. The primary materials came from personal interviews conducted by the researcher, archival documents and sources left by different missions agencies that operated in the area of study between 1914 and 1960,while the secondary materials were textbooks, and journal articles. vi MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS, PLATES AND CHARTS Map 1: Abia State showing Isuikwuato Local Government Area Map 2: Showing Locations of educational areas in Isuikwuato Plate 1: Renovated Obayi Primary School built in 1931 --------------- 29 Table 1: Methodist Mission Primary Schools, (1960) ------------------- 32 Table 2: Roman Catholic Mission Primary Schools, 1960. ------------- 35 Table 3: Local Authority Schools, (1960) --------------------------------- 38 Chart 1: Diagram showing the Vertical and Horizontal view of education 81 Plate 2: Renovated first classroom block of Annunciation Secondary School (Renamed Isuikwuato High School) built1961. --------------- 46 Plate 3: Renovated first building of Methodist Girls’ Secondary School, Ovim, built in 1963 ------------------------------------------------------- 48 Plate 4: Admiral Godwin Ndubuisi Kanu, First Military Governor of Imo State (1976) ------------------------------------------------------ 54 Plate 5: The front, rear and side views of the I.D.U. Hall commissioned in 2009 -------------------------------------------- 56 Plate 6: Barrister Ken Ahia, National President, Isuikwuato Development Union. ---------------------------------------------------- 57 Plate 7: Cross section of Isuikwuato people receiving free medical treatment courtesy of Club 45 Isuikwuato 2009, 3-day free medical programme at Umuobiala Health Centre, Umuobiala, Isuikwuato --- 58 Plate 8: Mr. Donald Onyinye Iroham, Retired, Assistant Inspector General of Police. ---------------------------------------------------- 59 Plate 9: Umuakwua Ezere Community Primary School built in 1976 ------- 70 Plate 10: Acha Central School built in 1976. ---------------------------- 71 Plate 11: Renovated Eluama Primary School block built in 1976. ---- 71 vii Plate 12: Ahaba Community Primary School classroom block built in 1976.----------------------------------------------------------------- 72 Plate 13: Umuakwua Ezere Primary School UBE classroom building built in 2008. ---------------------------------------------------------- 82 Plate 14: The first Classrooms/Administrative block Acha Technical Secondary School, built in 1977. ------------------ 85 Plate 15: The first classrooms/administrative block of the Secondary Technical School, Ovim, built in 1978. ------------------------ 86 Plate 16: The first classrooms building of Central Oguduasa Secondary School built in 1980. ---------------------------------------------- 87 Plate 17: The first classrooms building Acha Girls’ Secondary School build in 1980. ------------------------------------------------------ 88 Plate 18: The first classrooms building of Ahaba Community Secondary School Ahaba, built in 1982. ------------------------------------ 88 Plate 19: The first classrooms of community secondary school Nunya, built in 1982. ------------------------------------------------------ 89 Plate 20: The first classrooms of Junior Secondary Technical School Ovim, built 2005. ------------------------------------------------- 89 Plate 21: His Royal Highness Eze (Surveyor) Chris E. Aboh Chairman, Isuikwuato Traditional Rulers Council. Represents educated Isuikwuato Traditional ruler.-------------------------------------- 92 Plate 22: His Royal Majesty (Eze (Sir, Dr.) Ezo Ukandu Enyi na Obiangwu of Imenyi Ancient Kingdom. Educated Isuikwuato Traditional ruler. -------------------------------------------------------- 93 viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CKC - Christ the King College (Onitsha) IDU - Isuikwuato Development Union IIA - Isuikwuato Improvement Association JP - Junior Primary RCM - Roman Catholic Mission SP - Senior Primary UBE - Universal Basic Education UPE - Universal Primary Education ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page ----------------------------------------------------------------------- i Approval page ----------------------------------------------------------------- ii Dedication ---------------------------------------------------------------------- iii Acknowledgements ----------------------------------------------------------- iv Abstract ------------------------------------------------------------------------- v Maps and Illustrations, Plates and Charts ---------------------------------- vi List of Abbreviations ---------------------------------------------------------- vii Table of Contents -------------------------------------------------------------- viii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ---------------------------------- 1 Background to the Study ---------------------------------------------------- 2 Stating the Problem ----------------------------------------------------------- 3 The Purpose of the Study ----------------------------------------------------- 4 Scope of the Study ------------------------------------------------------------ 4 Literature Review ------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Methodology, Sources and Organization ---------------------------------- 9 Theoretical Framework ------------------------------------------------------ 11 CHAPTER TWO: TRADITIONAL EDUCATION AND INTRODUCTION OF WESTERN EDUCATION IN ISUIKWUATO, 1914-1950 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 Traditional Education in Isuikwuato --------------------------------------- 17 British Colonial Government and Education in Isuikwuato ------------ 22 The Railway and the Quarry --------------------------------------------------34 Christian Missionaries and the Establishment of Primary Schools ----- 25 Local Authority Schools ------------------------------------------------------ 36 x CHAPTER THREE: POST INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENTS AND THE GROWTH OF WESTERN EDUCATION IN ISUIKWUATO, 1960-1970 ------------------------------------------------ ---------------------- 40 Establishment of Pioneer Secondary Schools in Isuikwuato ------------- 40 CHAPTER FOUR Pioneers of University Education and Capacity Building in Isuikwuato --------------------------------------------------------------- 50 The First Batch of University Graduates ------------------------------------- 50 Isuikwuato Graduates and Community Development --------------------- 53 CHAPTER FIVE Education in Isuikwuato in the Post Nigeria Civil War Era, 1970-2009 -- 61 Universal Primary Education Scheme (UPE) -------------------------------- 61 Universal Primary Education Scheme in Isuikwuato ---------------------- 65 Effects of Nigeria Civil War on UPE Scheme and State Taker Over of School ------------------------------------------------------- 66 Activities of Local UPE Implementation Committee in Isuikwuato ------ 73 Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme ------------------------------ 76 Vertical and Horizontal View of Education ---------------------------------- 81 Post Civil War Secondary Education