ARISTOTELIAN PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NIGERIAN CHILD

The paper analysed the societal values of Aristotelian philosophy of education for the development of the Nigerian child. It recognized that Aristotle, through his understanding of the works of Socrates and Plato, believed that the aim of education consists of an effort towards dispelling error and a process towards discovering truth that is innate in the human soul, indispensably linked with the values of the body in the quest of happiness and tranquility, rather than the pursuit of mere pleasure. The paper explicated the values of the contents of education that are dependent on the power or the exercise of the mind in attaining knowledge. Most of what formed Aristotle's thought today was emphatically influenced by the Socratic idealism and Plato dialectics in understanding of the human person and the world. In his Politics, it is arguably put that that the state is a plurality that should be made into a community by education, where Aristotle insisted that states should be responsible for educating their citizens. Hence, the paper recognized the consciousness for the formation of the Nigerian Child, especially, in laying values of his/herself and then, to his or her societies. Adopting the expository method of analysis, the paper concluded that to achieve the courses of development which are dependent on the values of human person, the contents of education should be directed to educate an average Nigerian child as a sound mind in a very sound body, by the provision of human-friendly, conducive and peaceful environment that are adequate enough for schooling, in order to maximize his or her creative and innovative skills in love, trust and truth.