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 area of 27,925 sq. miles. The colony of Sierra Leone originated in the sale and cession in 1787 by indigenous chiefs to English settlers of a piece of land intended as a home for African settlers who had been waifs in London and later it was utilized as a settlement for freed African slaves. The hinterland was declared a British Protectorate on 21st August, 1896. Sierra Leone attained independence on 27th April, 1961 and turned a Republic in 1971. Education is supplied by the two personal and condition-sponsored educational institutions. The current process of education is 6-3-4-4 (that is six a long time Principal school, a few a long time Junior Secondary School, 4 yrs Senior Secondary College and four a long time tertiary/larger schooling. This procedure is complemented by non- formal training.
Strategy OF Instruction
Education and learning is usually utilised in the perception of instruction in the classroom, laboratory, workshop or domestic science area and is composed principally in the imparting by the teacher, and the acquisition by pupils, of facts and mental as very well as manual capabilities. A wider meaning than instruction is that of education. That is to say all that goes on inside of the university as element of the pupil’s daily life there. It involves, among the other items, relationship among pupils and academics, pupils and pupils the two in and exterior the college. J. S. Mill (1931) opined that no matter what helps to shape the human being to make the specific what he is or hinder him from staying what he is not is aspect of his education and learning. Implicitly education and learning is lifelong and ubiquitous it is the sum whole of all influences which go to make a human being what he is, from delivery to demise. It features the residence, our neighbors, and the road between others.
Instruction is to some extent a deliberate planned procedure devised and performed by the educator with the purpose of imbuing the learner with sure details, skills, of intellect and physique as nicely as modes of habits thought of appealing. In portion it is the learner’s have response to the environment in which he life. Schooling has 3 focal details: the specific/human being upon whom the educator’s influences are introduced to bear the modern society or neighborhood to which he belongs and the whole context of actuality inside which the personal and culture perform their part. Gentleman is a social creature he grows as a particular person via the effects of individuality on persona and even for his standard actual physical needs he is dependent on the support and cooperation of his fellow men and gals. Without having culture and the mutual aid and enrichment of encounters which it supplies civilization is extremely hard and the everyday living of guy, in Hobbes’ words, is “solitary, weak, terrible, brutish and small.”
One particular of the elementary facts of human existence is the stress concerning the pull of the earlier and the forward urge into the future, among balance and transform, custom and innovation. For powerful residing,male wants a circle of stability, an place of established routines and romantic relationship which types trusted interactions. This is also correct of modern society. For its helpful performing there must be an fundamental continuity of traditions and outlook which preserves its identification as a society and safeguards it in opposition to the disruptive outcomes of modify. Change should be for existence and not static but this transform in turn will have to be controlled by the essential traditions of society. It is tradition which provides a country its character and distinctiveness as a society. The conservation of tradition therefore is clearly crucial.
It has been recognized from time immemorial that the conservation of classic instruction has a crucial component to engage in in the progress of the boy or girl. The little ones of right now are the grownups of tomorrow they will have to be trained therefore, to inherit and perpetuate the beliefs and modes of existence peculiar to the specific modern society to which they belong. For every modern society has the motivation to maintain by itself not only physically but as neighborhood consciously sharing particular aims, ideals and designs of behavior. This variety of schooling is not essentially official in educational institutions by signifies of classroom instruction but that effected indirectly by the family and by the impression on the person of social influences and customs which the boy or girl can not evade. In Sierra Leone this social instruction included elaborate ceremonies of initiation involving feats of stamina in which youthful adult males and gals will have to show on their own deserving of the community. The best intention was to make an personal who was trustworthy, respectful, experienced, cooperative, and who could conform to the social order of the day. As Aristotle when stated “the constitution of a point out will put up with if education is neglected. The citizens of a point out ought to constantly be educated to accommodate the structure of the condition. The kind of character ideal to a structure is the ability which proceeds to sustain it as it is also the state pressure which originally designed it” (p. I).
Conventional Training IN Modern society
Conventional instruction has the two a inventive and conservation purpose in society it is a strong usually means of preserving a society’s customs, if not society. In the earlier the character and requirements of culture played a critical section in determining the character of instruction. Professor M.V.C. Jeffreys (1950) as soon as wrote in his ebook, Glaucon, that “in a tranquil modern society the instructional system will are likely to mirror the social pattern, when social uneasiness and instability develop option for using education as an instrument of social adjust”(p.7). A related see was shared by John Dewey (1897) who opined that through education and learning culture can formulate its own uses, can arrange its possess usually means and resources and thus preserve itself with definiteness and economic system in the way in which it needs to transfer. Education and learning seems to be both to the previous and the long term inevitably it demonstrates the traditions and character of culture. Regular training can be utilised to put together for variations in modern society and foresee and prevent alterations or the effects of adjustments in culture.
Standard education conserves and palms on the customs and strategies of lifestyle which represent the character of a culture and maintains its unity. It also will help society to interpret its features in new methods to meet the troubles of change, seeking strategies or lines of improvement which are regular with the traditions and customs and will at the identical time increase culture to a more comprehensive fulfillment of alone.
Classic Instructional Establishments IN SIERRA LEONE
Historical past reveals that there have been no formal educational facilities the place kids had been educated in Pre-colonial Sierra Leone. The Poro and Bondo/Sande Mystery Societies were being looked upon as institutions to teach youngsters. They were being bush faculties. And the education these bush schools presented was informal. Kids who went via these solution societies had been considered capable of carrying out their civic obligations. They turned adults and can marry and get started life. They viewed as them selves as one family members. In other phrases both of those Top secret Societies created a perception of comradeship and unity between associates irrespective of spouse and children, clan or ethnic affiliation. It was consequently regarded as that little ones who had not gone by means of these key societies were being not fully matured.
The Poro Solution Modern society is for boys. The spiritual head of the Poro Modern society is Pa Gbonu, observed only by the more mature graduates or members. The bodily heads are the Pa Sama Yorgbors and Pa Somanos. They direct the pursuits of the institution. The senior instructors are the Pa Kashis, who generally educate and give guidelines to other initiators. The Pa Manchiyas serve as lecturers to the initiates though the Kachemas are the scaring spirits. They scare the females and little ones alike with each other with the new initiates. The Rakas are the errand boys carrying messages all over. The Yambas are the head boys. The Bomos are the senior prefects even though the Sayboms are the prefects and the monitors are the Gbanaboms. Casual courses are held in the Key Poro Bush. The topics taught consist of Creative Sensible Arts, Accomplishing Arts, Practical Agriculture, Medication i.e. use of regional herbs for the therapy of distinctive conditions), warfare and other skills. In Inventive Simple Arts initiates are taught how to make fishing nets, baskets, mats, and carving wooden and cleaning soap stones into different objects these types of as animals and people in Performing Arts initiates are taught singing, dancing and the use of Poro musical devices. In Useful Agriculture initiates observe farming. Boys are taught to bear hardship without the need of criticism and mature accustomed to it. As a result they are taken to the farms of their teachers and elders to function on pro bono foundation. However in the course of the harvest time initiates could pass by way of these farms taking regardless of what they require and try to eat without the need of currently being questioned by farm entrepreneurs. Initiates are taught to regard elders and use of guns to get rid of animals. In a equivalent vein initiates are taught how to use guns in battling in defense of their communities. Other expertise initiates are taught involve creating fish traps, fishing and looking net, and basketry. In the use of herbs initiates pay out dollars (some freely offered) for therapeutic different sicknesses as very well as for defense against enemies, evil spirits and snake bites. Initiates who want to cause damage to other folks utilizing herbs could ‘redeem’ the herb/medication concerned. Over all initiates are taught a new Language spoken only by customers known as Ke Sornor. For example fonka trika that means I am speaking to you fonka bonomi that means Discuss to me. The use of this new Language will make graduates quite very pleased and feel various from non-initiates. Graduates occur out with new names these types of as Lamp, Langba and Kolerr. A graduation ceremony climaxes the occasion.
Dad and mom make huge preparations including sewing attire for the graduates. To mark the graduation ceremony there is feasting, drinking, dancing and singing praise tunes for the graduates and their mothers and fathers. Those people capable for initiation should have been circumcised and grown to age of puberty. They have to reside on their have during the interval of coaching which ranges from a single to seven years. Graduates are completely admitted to the common Poro culture as a result of yet another ceremony named Enkorie, which lasts for 4 days.
The Bondo/Sande Culture is the institution wherever women are properly trained for womanhood. Its spiritual head is Na Bondigba. The Na Gboyamas and Na Wulus are the bodily heads. These have spiritual powers utilised to foretell the long run and catch witches. They are the senior lecturers. The Na Sokos are the service teachers. They can initiate women even up to the highly developed phase of the Society. The Digbas are the general teachers and continue to be near to the initiates. The Sampas are the skillful dancers and errand girls/gals. They make bulletins about the progress and activities or systems all through the graduation ceremony.
The Na Fets, as the name implies do not know all the secrecy of the establishment. They carry the institutional implements and regalia. The Karr Ayeamus are the ‘waiters’ to be initiated into the bigger position of the institution. Ladies admitted to the Bondo/Sande Culture are properly trained informally. Courses are held at Kantha or sacred residence. The lecturers are mainly involved with the transmission to these adolescent ladies the capabilities and know-how which adult females are expected to possess in order to perform appropriately and intelligently in their community. The topics ladies are taught incorporate Cooking, Accomplishing Arts, Fishing, Husband and Kid Treatment, and Residence Administration. In Cooking women are taught how to prepare food via observation and participation in the planning of many dishes and are later permitted to have a go with minor or no supervision. Those who could not cook correctly are permitted to repeat. In Undertaking Arts girls are taught how to compose and sing songs and how to defeat the Bondo/Sande drums (sambories). Together with singing girls are taught how to dance and those who dance perfectly may be part of the hierarchy of the Sampas. Women are also taught how to fishing, make fishing nets, fishing baskets, sleeping mats from bamboo and palm leaves. Additional girls are taught how to help their future husbands and how to acquire care of little ones primarily those people of senior associates. Like the Poro Society graduation ceremonies are marked by substantial preparations. Both of those mothers and fathers and future husbands would invest in new attire, slippers, perfumes, powder, and beads to make neck laces. On the day of the graduation ceremony the new initiates are arrayed in white with coronets. They occur out with new names this sort of as Burah, Yeanor, Rukor and Yainkain. This demonstrates a indication of maturity. Initiating girls into Bondo/Sande modern society lasts involving a couple of months and three many years.
Problems
If training has the vital operate of perpetuating the traditions and values of culture, of adapting them to a changing atmosphere, and of elevating them to richer and more fruitful expression then each the Poro and Bondo/Sande Top secret Societies, as common agents of this approach need to delight in a posture of the maximum esteem. Through these secret societies the nation’s tradition flows from just one era to the other and the aspirations of modern society are centered with personal and telling persuasion on the young. They stand at a issue where by the energies of kids are introduced into new and resourceful options. As a result of these magic formula societies youngsters recall the previous actions of their predecessors. They assistance in behavioral schooling styles of culture. These societies are institutions of inspiration and both of those politicians and chiefs use them to advantage. That is to both acquire or sustain electric power. Significant and binding selections are taken in the Poro Bush of which only customers are authorized to show up at and choose section. The Poro Magic formula Modern society functions as a verify towards the abuse of electric power. In disaster ridden conditions significant decision are taken in the Poro Bush. The Poro society even acts as arbitrator in chiefdom disputes and could promulgate normal laws and control trading techniques. It is also involved in the burial of chiefs and other important neighborhood officials (Alie, 1990).
Western education and learning has existed in the nation for prolonged and is now so integral element of the civilized daily life that there is a inclination to think that it is the most important or sole indicates of imparting expertise, expertise and social values in small children. This is not the case in Sierra Leone. The worth of the Poro and Bondo common secret societies can’t be around-sighted mainly because of their tremendous potentiality in educating kids for existence in modern society. Essential is that respect for persons as persons is the foundation of regular modern society. Linked with this is courtesy, sensitivity to the desires of other people, cooperativeness, self-self-discipline, ethical and physical bravery, challenging get the job done and high expectations of achievement. These are passed on to small children in the ecosystem in which they are element of their day-to-day activities. Notwithstanding, these traditional establishments as brokers of education and learning are at this time faced with lots of problems there-by forcing their demise. The observe of feminine genital circumcision is of intercontinental worry and in Sierra Leone folks are agitating for its full ban. At present ladies are authorized to be circumcised at age eighteen during which time a baby is perceived to be matured enough to decide on whether or not or not to be initiated into the Bondo/Sande top secret society. In addition the period of time of initiation is perceived too very long and is remaining challenged. Aside from small children these days no lengthier have to be initiated into these societies to be taught how to be thoroughly clean, cook, rear young children, practice agriculture, and inculcate morals and virtues to cite a several examples. All these could be learnt possibly in or outside the house official education by means of studying. What is extra Faith, primarily Christianity and Islam, western daily life, as nicely as rural-urban migration are forcing these mystery societies to obliteration.
Besides the things to do and function of these classic societies are not in curriculum kind and documented. Neither also is the use of herbs documented. Thus by discontinuing these conventional mystery societies Sierra Leoneans stand to drop their cultural heritage. If having said that, education has the very important operate of perpetuating the traditions and values of modern society, of adapting them to a transforming natural environment, and of elevating them to a richer and much more fruitful expression then these regular mystery societies, as agents of this system really should delight in a situation of the best esteem. By these societies the nationwide tradition flows from 1 era to yet another and the aspirations of culture are centered with personal and telling persuasion on the youthful. These secret societies stand at the point exactly where the energies of little ones are unveiled into new and resourceful options.
