Impact of Western Education in the Teaching of Islamic Education
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The general objective of this study is to examine the impact of western education on the teaching of Islamic education and the following are the specific objectives:
- To examine the impact of western education on the teaching of Islamic education.
- To identify the differences between western education and Islamic education.
- To examine the factors that favour western education over Islamic education.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This chapter gives an insight into various studies conducted by outstanding researchers, as well as explained terminologies with regards to the impact of western education on the teaching of Islamic education in Nigeria.The chapter also gives a resume of the history and present status of the problem delineated by a concise review of previous studies into closely related problems.
CONCEPT OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION
Many attempts have been made to define Islamic education. According to Ashraf and Hussain (1979), Islamic education entails giving instruction on pur81y theological matters, such that the trainee would be able to practice the five pillars of Islam. Similarly, Mohammad (1980) opined that Islamic education is a process of self-discipline, which ensures spiritual and intellectual growth of the individual.
However, neither of the above can stand the test of our time because, we have to realizes that Islamic education is not confined to ensuring the practice of the five pillars of Islam. The pillars only constitute the Ibadah aspect of the religion. Not only this, spiritual and intellectual development are but two of the three important dimensions of personality development, the definitions leave out the psychomotor domain.
We may wish to consider Islamic education as a system of education, which entails ideological concept expounding the very nature of life (here and after), and prescribing the position of man and his role on earth. In arriving at this definition, this writer is greatly influenced by the opinion of Qutub (1977), from which we can infer that Islamic education includes the doctrine and pragmatic set-up, which emanate from and premised on the ideological framework. The framework in question entails ethics and its sustaining power, politics and its characteristics, social order and its values, economic precepts and its philosophy, and internationalism in its ramifications.
In Nigeria today, there are some people who adopt a confused approach to defining Islamic education. These people deliberately refer to Islamic education as being synonymous with Islamic studies, which is just a subject in the Nigerian western-oriented educational system” The basic discernible difference is that Islamic studies is an academic subject offered in a formal school setting, whereas, islamic education refers to the totality of the upbringing of an individual within the content and context of Islam. It therefore transcends the classroom setting. It can be received formally, non-formally and informally.
Systems of Education in Nigeria .
Western Educational system. :
A discussion. of the western educational system in this paper is considered necessary notonly to make a comparison later, but also because of Its overbearing influence on our life-style in Nigeria. It is increasingly becoming clearer that almost everything either depends on or draws inspiration from the Euro-Christian system of education in the country. The reason for thisdevelopment may be the concomitant effect of the tragic and offensive colonization of our country by the Europeans who were Christians. The western education unlike the traditional system of education that emphasized the real acquisition of knowledge, skills and values emphasized tile accumulation of certificates. This trend has permeated all the levels of the formal system of education in Nigeria.
A look at the history of western education in Nigeria indicates that the system has its origin traced to the arrival of the Portuguese, the first European people to set their feet on this part of Africa. According to Fafunwa (1974), the Portuguese carne to the Guinea Gulf towards the end of the 15th century.. The original aim of the people who introduced Western education were both economic and religious. they wanted customers who would be able to understand them and served as interpreters. This, they believed would boost their commercial activities. In addition, they felt strongly that in order to be good customers, the natives must accept Christ. Hence, it was their goods on the right hand, and the Bible on the left.
Expectedly, neither the attractive goods nor the strange religion could persuade the indigenous chiefs who revolted against what was regarded as unwarranted intrusion into their land. The resistance of the indigenes forced the Portuguese Missionaries to seek for the support of the European authorities. The assistance was readily given in the form of arms. It could, therefore, be said that Western education became entrenched in Nigeria by the use of Christian evangelism and imperialist force. The structure of early Western education was built on the. philosophy of the white missionaries, that is, production of people with limited literacy but strong Christian faith and, this was why the early schools were situated in the Church premises (Fafunwa, 1974). In furtherance of the objective, the curriculum then was nothing than the Bible teachings. The level of education then was also nothing higher than elementary or what could go to a nursery school level of today. The first formal school in Nigeria was established in 1843.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the description and discussion on the various techniques and procedures used in the study to collect and analyze the data as it is deemed appropriate.
It is organized under the following sub-headings:
- Research Design
- Area of the Study
- Population of the study
- Sample and sampling procedure
- Instrument of Data Collection
- Validation of the Instrument
- Reliability of the Instrument
- Method of Data Collection
- Method of Data Analysis
RESEARCH DESIGN
According to Asika (2009), research designs are often referred to as the structuring of investigation aimed at identifying variables and their relationships to one another. In this study, questionnaire serves as useful guide to the effort of generating data for this study. The questionnaire is a survey method and it is an exploratory research.
AREA OF THE STUDY
The study will be conducted in Sabon Gari, Kaduna state. Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna was at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census. The symbol of Kaduna is the crocodile, called kada in the native Hausa language.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The target population for this study consists of all the female and male employees of Kaduna state ministry of Education, Kaduna state. The number of population adopted for this study comprises all the members of staff the totaled to staff is estimated for the study. The rationale behind restricting the population to the members is to enhance effective participation of all members in the survey.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter is devoted to the presentation, analysis and interpretation of the data gathered in the course of this study. The data are based on the number of copies of the questionnaire completed and returned by the respondents. The data are presented in tables and the analysis is done using the chi-square test.
CHAPTER FIVE
FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The objectives of the study were to determine the following:
- To examine the impact of western education on Islam as a religion in Nigeria.
- To identify the difference between western education and Islamic education.
- To examine the factors that favour western education over Islamic education.
Findings from the study revealed the following:
- There is high impact of western education on Islam as a religion in Nigeria.
- Western education has helped in making Islamic education easier.
- Western education influences the teaching of Islamic education.
- There is a major difference between Islamic education and western education.
- Western education is more favoured in Nigeria than Islamic education.
REFERENCES
- Farid S. A (2005). from Jamiah to University. multiculturalism and Christian Muslim dialogue. International sociological association, National University Singapore.
- Hashim R. (2004). educational dualism in Malaysia. Oxford University Press, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
- Nasiru, W.O.A. (1977), “Islamic Learning Among the Yoruba (1896-1963)”. An unpublishedDoctoral Thesis of the Dept. of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan.Ibadan.
- Nor. A, (2012), “The Impact of Colonialism on the Muslim Educational System”. Al-Tawhid, Vol. IV. No. 3.
- Rosnani E.A (2004). The Missionary Impact of Modern Nigeria. London: Longman.
