The Study of Native Teachers in the Colony of Lagos at the Turn of the 20th Century: The Differences between Men and Women in the Teachers’ Certificates

Abstract

This article aims to describe the native teachers in the Colony of Lagos at the turn of the 20th Century through analysis of their status, what was expected of them, the Teachers' Certificates that they received from the Board of Education, the Standard used to examine the performance of students in assisted schools and the differences between male and female teachers. These teachers were very important for native education in the colony because they were born in the colony, had been taught in the schools by the missionaries and then taught the following generations. This article shows that education then shifted from the missionaries to the native teachers who had the Certificates and describes how there were gaps between male and female teachers in the provisions of Teachers' Certificates and other situations relating to education. Finally, this study indicates that the native teachers may have been expected to become community leaders, but would have been criticized by local people whose religions and cultures were different.