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 spot 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 bit of land meant as a property for African settlers who had been being waifs in London and later it was utilized 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. Education is equipped by equally non-public and state-sponsored academic services. The current-day system of instruction is 6-3-4-4 (that’s six a number of years Principal college, a number of a few years Junior Secondary School, 4 yrs Senior Secondary College and 4 a few years tertiary/greater instruction. This technique is complemented by non- official schooling and studying.

Thought OF Education

Training and studying is repeatedly made use of within the sense of instruction within the classroom, laboratory, workshop or home science house and consists principally within the imparting by the trainer, and the acquisition by pupils, of particulars and psychological as correctly as handbook talents. A broader which suggests than instruction is that of schooling. That’s to say all that goes on within the college as ingredient of the pupil’s way of life there. It incorporates, amongst different issues, marriage amongst pupils and instructors, pupils and pupils every in and exterior the college. J. S. Mill (1931) opined that no matter aids to situation the human being to make the individual what he’s or hinder him from presently being what he isn’t is part of his coaching. Implicitly schooling and studying is lifelong and ubiquitous it’s the sum entire of all influences which go to make a specific individual what he’s, from begin to dying. It consists of the residence, our neighbors, and the road amongst different people.

Instruction is to some extent a deliberate ready process devised and carried out by the educator with the intent of imbuing the learner with chosen data, capabilities, of ideas and system as correctly as modes of habits regarded engaging. Partially it’s the learner’s have response to the environment during which he lives. Instruction has three focal components: the individual/explicit individual upon whom the educator’s influences are launched to bear the fashionable society or neighborhood to which he belongs and the entire context of reality inside simply which the actual individual and tradition carry out their part. Man is a social creature he grows as a specific individual because of the have an effect on of individuality on character and even for his easy bodily wishes he depends upon on the allow and cooperation of his fellow guys and women. With out the necessity of society and the mutual steering and enrichment of ordeals which it delivers civilization is tough and the on a regular basis residing of individual, in Hobbes’ phrases, is “solitary, poor, terrible, brutish and brief.”

One of many basic data of human existence is the rigidity in regards to the pull of the sooner and the forward urge into the upcoming, amongst safety and modify, custom and innovation. For environment friendly residing,man wants a circle of safety, an location of arrange behaviors and relationship which kinds reliable relationships. That is additionally appropriate of tradition. For its efficient working there should be an basic continuity of traditions and outlook which preserves its id as a contemporary society and safeguards it in direction of the disruptive penalties of modify. Change should be for way of life and never static however this remodel in remodel should be managed by the elemental traditions of society. It’s custom which offers a nation its character and distinctiveness as a society. The conservation of customized therefore is of course important.

It has been acknowledged from time immemorial that the conservation of normal education has a important ingredient to play within the enhancement of the child. The little ones of as of late are the grownups of tomorrow they have to be educated therefore, to inherit and perpetuate the beliefs and modes of each day life peculiar to the person tradition to which they belong. For each single fashionable society has the necessity to shield itself not solely bodily however as local people consciously sharing specified goals, beliefs and designs of habits. This number of coaching will not be basically formal in schools by implies of classroom instruction however that effected not directly because of the relations and by way of the affect on the actual individual of social influences and customs which the boy or lady can not evade. In Sierra Leone this social coaching supplied elaborate ceremonies of initiation involving feats of stamina during which youthful guys and gals should present themselves deserving of the group. The very best goal was to generate an distinctive who was easy, respectful, proficient, cooperative, and who might conform to the social buy of the working day. As Aristotle after mentioned “the construction of a situation will bear if instruction is uncared for. The residents of a state should often be educated to suit the structure of the situation. The form of character appropriate to a construction is the electrical energy which continues to maintain it as additionally it is the purpose out strain which initially developed it” (p. I).

Typical Instruction IN Trendy society

Traditional schooling has each equally a imaginative and conservation carry out in tradition it’s a sturdy signifies of preserving a society’s customs, if not custom. Up to now the mom nature and needs of tradition carried out a necessary half in determining the character of schooling and studying. Professor M.V.C. Jeffreys (1950) after wrote in his guide, Glaucon, that “in a tranquil tradition the educational system will tend to replicate the social pattern, whereas social uneasiness and instability make prospect for utilizing schooling and studying as an instrument of social modify”(p.7). A equal view was shared by John Dewey (1897) who opined that by the use of coaching tradition can formulate its possess causes, can handle its particular person signifies and strategies and due to this fact protect alone with definiteness and financial system within the path during which it must switch. Instruction appears equally to the sooner and the upcoming inevitably it demonstrates the traditions and character of contemporary society. Common instruction might be utilised to organize for enhancements in fashionable society and foresee and cease alterations or the outcomes of enhancements in fashionable society.

Conventional schooling conserves and fingers on the customs and approaches of on a regular basis residing which signify the character of a contemporary society and maintains its unity. It additionally assists tradition to interpret its options in new strategies to fulfill the problems of enhance, on the lookout for methods or strains of development that are dependable with the traditions and customs and can on the precise time elevate society to a extra complete success of by itself.
Widespread Instructional Institutions IN SIERRA LEONE

Historic previous reveals that there have been being no formal schools wherever little ones had been educated in Pre-colonial Sierra Leone. The Poro and Bondo/Sande High secret Societies ended up appeared upon as institutions to show little ones. They had been being bush schools. And the schooling these bush universities introduced was informal. Kids who glided by these key societies had been regarded able to finishing up their civic tasks. They grew to become adults and might marry and start life. They thought-about them selves as one explicit family. In different phrases every Magic components Societies produced a notion of comradeship and unity amid associates no matter family members, clan or ethnic affiliation. It was therefore regarded that babies who had not lengthy gone by way of these secret societies ended up not completely matured.

The Poro Magic components Tradition is for boys. The non secular head of the Poro Trendy society is Pa Gbonu, witnessed solely by the extra mature graduates or clients. The bodily heads are the Pa Sama Yorgbors and Pa Somanos. They direct the issues to do of the institution. The senior instructors are the Pa Kashis, who usually instruct and provides directions to different initiators. The Pa Manchiyas present as lecturers to the initiates despite the fact that the Kachemas are the scaring spirits. They scare the females and kids alike along with the brand new initiates. The Rakas are the errand boys carrying messages throughout. The Yambas are the pinnacle boys. The Bomos are the senior prefects despite the fact that the Sayboms are the prefects and the screens are the Gbanaboms. Casual programs are held within the High secret Poro Bush. The topics taught include Creative Wise Arts, Finishing up Arts, Easy Agriculture, Treatment i.e. use of neighborhood herbs for the therapy of distinctive circumstances), warfare and different capabilities. In Imaginative Lifelike Arts initiates are taught methods to make fishing nets, baskets, mats, and carving wooden and cleansing cleaning soap stones into various objects these sorts of as animals and people in Finishing up Arts initiates are taught singing, dancing and using Poro musical devices. In Helpful Agriculture initiates observe farming. Boys are taught to bear hardship with out criticism and mature accustomed to it. Subsequently they’re taken to the farms of their lecturers and elders to carry out on professional bono foundation. Nonetheless all through the harvest 12 months initiates might go by means of these farms having what ever they should have and devour with out presently being questioned by farm entrepreneurs. Initiates are taught to treat elders and use of weapons to kill animals. In a associated vein initiates are taught methods to use weapons in battling in safety of their communities. Different talents initiates are taught include creating fish traps, fishing and looking out internet, and basketry. In using herbs initiates pay revenue (some freely supplied) for therapeutic completely different sicknesses as completely as for defense versus enemies, evil spirits and snake bites. Initiates who need to result in harm to different people utilizing herbs might ‘redeem’ the herb/treatment fearful. Above all initiates are taught a brand new Language spoken solely by clients recognized as Ke Sornor. For living proof fonka trika this implies I’m chatting to you fonka bonomi which suggests Discuss to me. Using this new Language makes graduates fairly completely satisfied and really feel distinct from non-initiates. Graduates seem out with new names some of these as Lamp, Langba and Kolerr. A commencement ceremony climaxes the event.

Moms and dads make substantial preparations which incorporates stitching attire for the graduates. To mark the commencement ceremony there may be feasting, ingesting, dancing and singing reward tunes for the graduates and their moms and dads. These skilled for initiation should have been circumcised and grown to age of puberty. They must reside on their have in the midst of the interval of instructing which ranges from an individual to 7 a few years. Graduates are utterly admitted to the fundamental Poro society by means of an extra ceremony known as Enkorie, which lasts for 4 occasions.

The Bondo/Sande Trendy society is the establishment during which women are expert for womanhood. Its religious head is Na Bondigba. The Na Gboyamas and Na Wulus are the precise bodily heads. These have non secular powers utilized to predict the long run and seize witches. They’re the senior lecturers. The Na Sokos are the companies instructors. They’ll provoke girls even as much as the revolutionary part of the Society. The Digbas are the final lecturers and keep near the initiates. The Sampas are the skillful dancers and errand girls/women. They make bulletins in regards to the progress and pursuits or packages in the midst of the commencement ceremony.

The Na Fets, because the title signifies have no idea all of the secrecy of the institution. They’ve the institutional implements and regalia. The Karr Ayeamus are the ‘waiters’ to be initiated into the elevated standing of the institution. Girls admitted to the Bondo/Sande Trendy society are certified informally. Programs are held at Kantha or sacred home. The lecturers are largely anxious with the transmission to those adolescent women the capabilities and understanding which grownup girls of all ages are envisioned to have as a way to goal completely and intelligently of their local people. The matters women are taught include Cooking, Performing Arts, Fishing, Partner and Child Care, and Family Administration. In Cooking women are taught methods to put collectively meals because of commentary and participation within the making ready of a number of dishes and are in a while licensed to have a go along with small or no supervision. People who couldn’t cook dinner dinner appropriately are allowed to repeat. In Doing Arts women are taught methods to compose and sing tunes and methods to conquer the Bondo/Sande drums (sambories). Alongside singing girls are taught methods to dance and all those that dance successfully might be a part of the hierarchy of the Sampas. Girls are additionally taught methods to fishing, make fishing nets, fishing baskets, sleeping mats from bamboo and palm leaves. Even additional women are taught methods to help their future husbands and methods to get care of babies particularly individuals of senior members. Just like the Poro Trendy society commencement ceremonies are marked by huge preparations. Each moms and dads and potential husbands would purchase new apparel, 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 this type of as Burah, Yeanor, Rukor and Yainkain. This demonstrates a indicator of maturity. Initiating girls into Bondo/Sande tradition lasts amongst a number of months and three a number of years.

Points

If instruction has the essential operate of perpetuating the traditions and values of contemporary society, of adapting them to a altering environment, and of elevating them to richer and rather more fruitful expression then each of these the Poro and Bondo/Sande Secret Societies, as commonplace brokers of this plan of action actually ought to get pleasure from a state of affairs of the best esteem. By the use of these magic components societies the nation’s custom flows from 1 know-how to the opposite and the aspirations of society are targeted with intimate and telling persuasion on the younger. They stand at a degree during which the energies of younger kids are produced into new and creative choices. Because of these key societies little ones remember the earlier pursuits of their predecessors. They assist in behavioral instructing kinds of society. These societies are institutions of inspiration and the 2 politicians and chiefs use them to benefit. That’s to both acquire or maintain energy. Essential and binding alternatives are taken within the Poro Bush of which solely clients are licensed to attend and select portion. The Poro Resolution Tradition acts as a test from the abuse of energy. In disaster ridden conditions necessary determination are taken within the Poro Bush. The Poro society even acts as arbitrator in chiefdom disputes and will promulgate commonplace legal guidelines and management investing procedures. It is usually concerned within the burial of chiefs and different important neighborhood officers (Alie, 1990).

Western schooling has existed within the place for very lengthy and is now so integral portion of the civilized on a regular basis residing that there’s a tendency to consider that it’s the main or sole signifies of imparting competencies, information and social values in kids. This isn’t the case in Sierra Leone. The nice significance of the Poro and Bondo typical secret societies can’t be around-sighted given that of their large potentiality in educating children for all times in society. Elementary is that regard for folk as individuals is the muse of typical fashionable society. Linked with that is courtesy, sensitivity to the requires of different individuals, cooperativeness, self-discipline, ethical and bodily braveness, powerful function and excessive benchmarks of accomplishment. These are handed on to kids within the environment during which they’re a part of their on a regular basis actions. However, these commonplace institutions as brokers of coaching are for the time being confronted with a variety of worries there-by forcing their demise. The observe of female genital circumcision is of intercontinental situation and in Sierra Leone individuals right this moment are agitating for its full ban. Now girls are permitted to be circumcised at age eighteen all through which period a child is perceived to be matured ample to go for regardless of if or to not be initiated into the Bondo/Sande thriller fashionable society. As well as the interval of initiation is perceived a lot too extended and is being challenged. Aside from kids these occasions no lengthier must be initiated into these societies to be taught methods to be completely clear, cook dinner dinner, rear children, apply agriculture, and inculcate morals and virtues to quote a few examples. All these might be learnt presumably in or outdoors the home official education by analyzing. What’s rather more Religion, primarily Christianity and Islam, western way of life, as properly as rural-city migration are forcing these answer societies to obliteration.

Aside from the features and get the job performed of those common societies aren’t in curriculum type and documented. Neither is also using herbs documented. Subsequently by discontinuing these commonplace magic components societies Sierra Leoneans stand to eradicate their cultural heritage. If nonetheless, instruction has the necessary operate of perpetuating the traditions and values of tradition, of adapting them to a shifting surroundings, and of accelerating them to a richer and further fruitful expression then these traditional prime secret societies, as brokers of this methodology should take pleasure in a place of the utmost esteem. By these societies the nationwide custom flows from a single era to a distinct and the aspirations of tradition are targeted with intimate and telling persuasion on the youthful. These secret societies stand on the place the place the energies of youngsters are launched into new and creative alternatives.