Nigeria is home to over 20 historic secondary schools that are more than 100 years old, with the oldest dating back to 1859. These schools were founded by Christian missionaries, colonial governments, and local leaders, and started with just a few students. They provided early academic and vocational training before independence and produced notable leaders, including former military heads of state Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar.
One of Nigeria's oldest secondary schools is CMS Grammar School, Lagos, which was founded in 1859 by the Church Missionary Society. The school began with just six students, all boarders, in a building known as Cotton House on Broad Street. Lagos merchant and philanthropist James Pinson Labulo Davies played a significant role in the school's establishment, donating £50 for books and equipment. Babington Macaulay was the school's first principal.
Methodist Boys' High School, Lagos, is another historic school that was established in 1878. The school's foundation stone was laid in 1875, and it officially opened on March 14, 1878, with Rev. W. Terry Coppin as its first principal. The school's first intake consisted of just 12 boys, including George Stone Smith, who later became known as Dr Orishadipe Obasa, a prominent Nigerian physician, prince, and political leader.
The Methodists also established Methodist Girls' High School, Lagos, in 1879, one of Nigeria's earliest institutions for the formal education of girls. The school initially operated from rooms at the Methodist Mission House on Broad Street, with Rev. E. W. Williams as its first principal. Girls were taught academic subjects alongside domestic skills such as cooking, sewing, and laundry.
Other historic schools in Nigeria include Baptist Academy, Lagos, which has its roots in 1855, and St. Gregory's College, Lagos, which traces its roots to St Gregory's Grammar School, established in 1882 by the Catholic mission. Hope Waddell Training Institution, Calabar, was established in 1895 by the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and placed considerable emphasis on practical education.
St Anne's School, Ibadan, was formed in 1950 through the merger of older girls' institutions, including Kudeti Girls School, founded in 1899, and the older CMS Female Institution, established in 1869. Other notable schools include Methodist Boys' High School, Oron, which began as Oron Training Institute in 1905, and Wesley College, Ibadan, which was established by the Methodist mission in 1905.
These historic schools have played a significant role in shaping Nigeria's education system and producing notable leaders. They demonstrate the country's rich educational heritage and the impact of Christian missionaries and colonial governments on the development of secondary education in Nigeria.
Key points
- CMS Grammar School, Lagos, is generally recognized as Nigeria's oldest secondary school, founded in 1859.
- Methodist Boys' High School, Lagos, was established in 1878 and had notable alumni, including Dr Orishadipe Obasa.
- Hope Waddell Training Institution, Calabar, emphasized practical education and was established in 1895.
