142-534-1-PB educational policy

8/13/2019 142-534-1-PB educational policy

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/142-534-1-pb-educational-policy 1/24

Educational Policy in Nigeria Hauwa Imam

Educational Policy in Nigeria from the

Colonial Era to the Post-Independence

Period

Hauwa Imam1

_________________________________________________

Abstract : There is a widened western educational gap between the north and south of

Nigeria with the predominantly Muslim areas of the north lagging behind due to some

historical antecedents. In the colonial era the British educational policy did not address

the aspirations of the people leading to a clamour for change in the post-independence

era resulting in the first indigenous National olicy on !ducation in 1"##. $hangesha%e resulted in three re%ised editions of the national educational policy. This paper

re%iews the educational policy in the &ederal 'epublic of Nigeria since 1"(()

highlighting specific issues on the disparity between educational policy and the

implementation in conte*t of the wider socio-economic and political de%elopment

process. This is a case study of the peculiarity of educational policy de%elopment in a

pluralistic society and de%eloping country) with unity and de%elopmental concerns.

Keywords: !ducational policy+ colonial era+ post independence period+ &ederal'epublic of Nigeria.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

1 epartment of !ducational Management) ni%ersity of /bu0a) Nigeria. !-mail:

drhauwaimammsn.com

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

11






the northern and the southern parts of Nigeria ?4gunsola) 1"8A. /lso when

grants in aid were gi%en to missions and %oluntary agencies> schools) the=ur>anic schools were e*cluded because of their peculiar curriculum ?Imam)

899CA. The colonial go%ernment needed %ital personnel from amongst the

nati%es and thus) the responsibility for the pro%ision of western education in the

northern parts of Nigeria) shifted to the colonial go%ernment ?4gunsola) 1"8A.

In this set up) three forms of education: =ur>anic) traditional and western

education co-e*isted side by side with the north and south each ha%ing a

different pace of de%elopment in terms of western educational attainment. This

was the scenario by 1"(( which heralded the ad%ent of globalisation in the post

5econd Dorld Dar period that coincided with the processes of democratic

transformation and national liberation from colonialism. 5ince then educational policy in Nigeria has been shaped by the ;uest for national de%elopment based

on political) and socio-economic considerations.

Conceptual Framework

!ducation policy issues continue to be a ;uestion of critical concern in

de%eloping countries in /frica ?Ti<ly) 8991A as a tool for de%elopment. The

relationship between education and de%elopment has been established) such

that education is now internationally accepted as a <ey de%elopment inde* and

it is in recognition of this importance that go%ernments all o%er the world ha%e

made commitments in their countries> educational policies for their citi@ens toha%e access to education ?4du<oya) 899"A. Howe%er) it is essential that

account is ta<en of political) economic and socio-cultural factors in e*amining

nations> educational policies ?6reen) 1""#A. &or instance) considerations of

consolidating the nation state ha%e pride of place among the origins andfoundations of contemporary educational policies ?Hyland) 8999+ and 6reen)

8999A. $olonialism and ost-colonialism is the conceptual framewor< which

ma<es %isible the legacy of British colonial educational policy) the close

alignment of Nigeria>s educational policy>s philosophy of Ethe right of all

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1C




people to education) material and cultural well-being by see<ing to change the

way people thin<) and the way they beha%e>) to reflect the dynamic process ofnation building that is continually being modified by new policy demands.

Educational Policy from 1944 to Independence in 19!

The phase of world-wide depression) which began during the second world

war from the political perspecti%e ignited the clamour by Nigerian nationalists>

mo%ement for self go%ernment and educational rele%ance which gained

momentum in 1"((. Thus from 1"(( to independence in 1"F9 was a period of

self-determination and educational e*pansion in Nigeria. This de%elopmentformed the basis for the promulgation of the 1"( !ducation 4rdinance) which

decentrali@ed educational administration in the country. The $olonial

go%ernment additionally re%iewed its ten years educational plan for Nigeria)

and appointed a irector of !ducation as well as mapped out a clear cut procedure for assessing grants-in-aid by mission schools ?&agbunmi) 899A. /t

the time the educational system in the southern part of Nigeria comprised a

four year 0unior primary education) which was followed by a four year senior

primary education and a si* year secondary education) while in the moreestablished secondary schools) the 5chool $ertificate e*amination was ta<en in

$lass ?Taiwo) 1"9A.

In the northern part of Nigeria) on the other hand) the school system

comprised of four years of 0unior primary schooling) three-year middle schooland secondary classes 1 to F and in some places) middle school classes 1 to F.

The educational system was not uniform throughout the country. These

differences notwithstanding) the 1"( !ducational 4rdinance was a mile stone

in British colonial educational policy in Nigeria) because it was the first

educational legislation that co%ered the whole country ?&afunwa) 899(A.

The creation of three regions ?!astern) Destern and NorthernA in the

country) led to the promulgation of the 1"8 !ducation 4rdinance which

empowered each of the regions to de%elop its educational policies and systems

?Taiwo) 1"9+ &afunwa) 899(A and the $olonial !ducation Board was

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1(




abolished. 4n the socio-cultural le%el) the clamour by Nigerians for self

go%ernment resulted in two constitutional conferences which brought together Nigerian political leaders and the British colonial go%ernment between 1"1

and 1"(. The deliberations of the conferences resulted in the drafting of a

new &ederal $onstitution in 1"( ?i<e) 1"9A. By this constitution) Nigeria

became a &ederation of three regions ?i.e. the !astern) Destern and Northern

regionsA and the &ederal $apital of 2agos. The constitution ga%e each region

the power of ma<ing laws for its territory and citi@ens as well as its own

educational policies.

The outcome was the promulgation of the !ducation 2aw of 1" in the

Destern 'egion) the !ducation 2aws of 1"F in the !astern and Northern

'egions and the 2agos !ducation 4rdinance in 1"# ?Taiwo) 1"9) &abunmi)899A. Howe%er) the 'egional !ducation 2aws and /cts deri%ed from a

common source) Ethe !ducation of /ct 1"(() of Dales and !ngland> ?Taiwo)

1"9) p.181A. There were some %ariations in the definition of components of

the educational systems in the regions. Ne%ertheless) they had commonadministrati%e features and statutory system of education which comprised

three stages: primary) post primary and further education. The duration of

primary education %aried from region to region+ howe%er) the secondary

components were similar ?5asnett G 5epmeyer) 1"F#) p. (FCA. The %ariants ofsecondary schools included the middle schoolsecondary modern school) the

grammar school) the technical college and the si*th form of the secondary

school Technical education was offered throughout the regions through the

epartments of the &ederal go%ernment and regional Ministries of !ducation?4du<oya) 899"A. It must be noted that the 'egional 2aws and the &ederal

!ducation /ct were an ad%ance of the Nigerian !ducational /ct 1"8) adopted

to suit the pre%ailing local regional conditions ?Taiwo) 1"9A.

The 1"( $onstitution of colonial Nigeria) emphasi@ed the policy of

decentrali@ation. Thus) an initial e*periment to gi%e ni%ersal rimary

!ducation was started in the Destern region in 1" and the !astern region of

Nigeria followed suit in 1"# respecti%ely ?&afunwa) 899(A. $onsiderable

efforts were made to de%elop and e*pand educational facilities in the North

?4@igi G 4cho) 1"1A. 4n the other hand in the northern parts e%en though

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1




pupils did not pay fees in the go%ernment schools) the colonial go%ernment had

to encourage people to send their children to the schools. There was generalapathy towards western education by the people who mostly preferred to send

their children to the =ur>anic school and %iewed western education with

suspicion. This problem was a fall out of the colonial go%ernments policy

restricting the acti%ities of the missionaries in the area thereby) curtailing the

spread of $hristianity and western education in the predominately Muslim

Northern protectorate ?&agbumi) 899A. The free enterprise which characterised

missionary wor< in the 5outhern protectorate was not permitted in the North

leading to a widened educational gap between the northern and the southern

parts of Nigeria. ?4gunsola)1"8A. /lso when grants in aid were gi%en to

missions and %oluntary agencies> schools) the =ur>anic schools were e*cluded because of their peculiar curriculum ?Imam) 899CA.

In 1"") the &ederal 6o%ernment set up the 5ir !ric /shby $ommission to

identify the future high-le%el manpower needs of the country for the ne*t

twenty years. The setting up of this $ommission was a landmar< in the historyof Nigerian educational system as it e*amined higher educational structure in

terms of the needs of the country and was the first official comprehensi%e

re%iew of higher education in the country. The /shby 'eport also prescribed

that education was indeed the tool for achie%ing national economic e*pansionand the social emancipation of the indi%idual ?/liu) 1""#A. It also) ga%e

Nigerians opportunity for participation in the deliberations that culminated in

the report. Howe%er) the policy of decentrali@ation remained in force until

Independence in 1"F9) with an unbalanced &ederation made up of a Northernregion which was bigger than the Destern and !astern regions. The &ederation

pro%ided the institutional basis for political de%elopment. In%ariably) the

regional go%ernments degenerated into political constituencies) with mutual

distrust and suspicion that plagued the first republic at independence. !thnicity

and religious differences gained a stronger foothold than that of national

identity. This is despite the fact that national stability and strength depend on

effecti%e integration of plural traditions ?Ti<ly) 8991) p. 11A. 'e%iewing the

educational policy under colonialism) the period 1"(( to independence in 1"F9

it was a time when

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1F




1. the role of state and that of Missionaries in the go%ernance of education

was defined+

8. the school system was geared towards producing the desired manpower for

the ci%il ser%ice) thus the recipients of western education ultimately

became misfits in their own local rural setup and were suited for blue

collar or white collar 0obs in the cities+

C. integration of the plural traditions were not addressed by the policy and

sowed the seeds of mistrust) hatred and suspicion amongst the %arious

peoples from the different parts of the country and religious intolerance was

born+

4. introduction of uni%ersal primary education in the 1"9s in western and

eastern regions of the country further widened the e*isting education gap between the north and southern parts of the country+ and

. the western) =ur>anic and traditional education thri%ed as parallel modes

with =ur>anic education being the preferred mode in the largely Muslim

north amongst the rural communities.

"he National Educational Policy from 19! to19##

In Nigeria) educational policy at independence was most concerned with

using schools to de%elop manpower for economic de%elopment and

/fricanisation of the ci%il ser%ice ?Doolman) 8991A. The legacies ofcolonialism underline the many problems of nation building facing the &ederal

'epublic of Nigeria since independence in 1"F9. This has led to a sha<y

democratic foundation which resulted in the first military coup in 1"FF andthree counter coups during the period in focus. &urther) the educational policy

was narrow in scope and did not meet the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians.

$riticisms of the educational policy include irrele%ant curricula) obsolete

methods) high drop-out and repetition rates) and the fact that many graduates

were dependent) and low on initiati%e ?'womire) 1""A. 5imilarly) chendu

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1#




?1"#"A identified problems that included ine;uality of access) rural-urban

disparities) the educational gap between ethnic groups and differences in thecurriculum of mission and non-mission based education.

In 1"F" the National $urriculum $onference was con%ened which re%iewed

the educational system and its goals) and identified new national goals for

Nigeria which would determine the future and direction of education in the

country ?Nigerian !ducational 'esearch $ouncil) 1"#8A. The conference was

the first national attempt to change the colonial orientation of the Nigerian

educational system and promote national consciousness and self-reliance

through the education process. !ducation as a social ser%ice and in%estment in

manpower was gi%en top priority by the go%ernment ?Taiwo) 1"9A. In order to

consolidate on the gains of the curriculum conference) in 1"#C) the &ederal6o%ernment of Nigeria ?&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria) 1"#CA instituted a

5eminar of distinguished e*perts to deliberate on a truly Nigerian national

educational policy. This body also included a wide range of interests including

the representati%es of Muslim and $hristian organi@ations in Nigeria. Thereport of the outcomes of the 5eminar) which after due consideration by the

5tates of the &ederation and other interest groups was presented as the draft

National olicy on !ducation.

&urthermore) the period was mar<ed by &ederal 6o%ernment ta<eo%er ofmission schools as education was regarded as a huge go%ernment %enture and

no longer a pri%ate enterprise. By 1"#F) when the states of the &ederation were

increased to nineteen) each state promulgated an edict for the regulation of

education) and its pro%ision and management. !ach state also amended the&ederal education law when necessary) which resulted in all the states> edicts

ha%ing common features) such as state ta<e-o%er of schools from indi%iduals

and %oluntary agencies) using similar curriculum and the establishment of

school management boards as well as a unified teaching ser%ice ?&agbunmi)

899A.

In 1"#F) due to a substantially impro%ed re%enue position brought about by

the oil boom) the &ederal 6o%ernment of Nigeria) embar<ed on the %ery

ambitious ni%ersal &ree rimary !ducation ?!A programme and e*panded

access into tertiary education and increased the number of unity schools in the

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1




country. The ! was geared towards gi%ing all children between age si* to

twel%e years of age) free primary education) which was to bridge theeducational gap and reduce the rising le%els of illiteracy in the country. The

programme which too< off with much promise) failed to achie%e its goals of

eradicating illiteracy largely due to inade;uate planning) which is a

conse;uence of lac< of ade;uate data. Dhen the schools were opened to

register the pupils) instead of the 8.C million children e*pected) C million

children arri%ed to be registered ?&afunwa) 899(A. This resulted in an under-

estimation in the pro%ision of classrooms. In addition) there was dearth of

;ualified teachers with the ma0ority of the teachers recruited being trainees who

underwent a one year crash programme in the pi%otal teachers> colleges set up

by the go%ernment of the time.The most significant changes of the period was the ta<eo%er of schools

from the missionaries by the go%ernment resulting in a unified educational

system based on the #--8-C educational policy: # years of primary education)

years of secondary school) 8 years Higher 5chool $ertificate 2e%els) and Cyears of uni%ersity education. This was in the stead of the --8-C educational

policy: years of primary education) years of secondary school) 8 years

Higher 5chool $ertificate 2e%els) and C years of uni%ersity education. /t

terminal stages) candidates sat for e*ternal e*aminations and were certificated based on their performances. In addition) the large-scale go%ernment financing

of education included tuition free uni%ersity education and the setting of the

stage for a national policy on education that was rele%ant and suited to the

needs of the people.iewing the educational policy in Nigeria during the first 1C years of

independence) the following are pertinent:

aA the influence of political change on the educational policy+

bA the roles of the &ederal and states go%ernment in the regulation and

control of education+

cA the promotion of education to the le%el of a huge go%ernment

enterprise by e*panding education access to raise enrolments and

presumably bridge the educational gap+

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"




dA the absence of consultation with local communities on children>s

education that was more suited to their peculiar circumstances resultingin the continued coe*istence of two parallel education modes in the

predominantly Muslim north+ and

eA the o%erall policy approach of go%ernment which was geared towards

the de%elopment of an educational policy blueprint that too< into cognisance

the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians.

This last factor culminated in the 1"## National olicy on !ducation which

was Nigeria>s first indigenous educational policy.

"he National Policy on Education since 19##

The 1"## National olicy on !ducation was geared towards addressing the

problems of educational rele%ance to the needs and aspirations of Nigerians as

well as promoting Nigeria>s unity and laying the foundation for nationalintegration. /lso) due to the high le%el of underde%elopment) the policy aimed

at realising a self-reliant and self-sufficient nation to meet the country>s

de%elopmental needs. In order to achie%e the ob0ecti%es) the policy made

education in Nigeria the &ederal 6o%ernment>s responsibility in terms ofcentrali@ed control and funding of education. 5uch centrali@ation was a

departure from the colonial education policy of financing of education based on

cost sharing between the proprietary bodies) local community)

parentsguardians and the go%ernment ?Ibadin) 899(A. Taiwo ?1"9) p. 1"(A hasmade reference to the ambitious nature of the National olicy on !ducation

which was concei%ed during a period when Nigeria>s national economy was at

its @enith) but born in a period of economic decline. The policy introduced the

F-C-C-( educational system modelled after the /merican system of F years of

primary education) C years of 0unior secondary school) C years of senior

secondary school) and ( years of uni%ersity education ?Nwagwu) 899#A.

/lthough primary education was free) it was not compulsory and the policy

sought to ma<e uni%ersal free primary education ?!A compulsory for all

children as soon as it is practicable.

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"9




In 1"#") a new $onstitution ?&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria) 1"#"A ushered in

Nigeria>s second attempt at democratic go%ernance) the legal basis of educationwas pro%ided and education was placed on the concurrent legislati%e list. The

$onstitution shared the responsibility for education amongst the three tiers of

go%ernment: &ederal) 5tate and 2ocal 6o%ernments+ while it ga%e the &ederal

6o%ernment more powers than the states in the areas of post primary)

professional) technological and placed uni%ersity education under its control. In

addition) it %ested the &ederal 6o%ernment with the control of primary and post

primary) and non-formal education within the 5tates. rimary education was to

be a 0oint %enture between the states and local go%ernments) with the local

go%ernments responsible for teachers> salaries. This pro%ision for education in

the 1"#" $onstitution) culminated in the first re%ised National olicy on!ducation and the 8nd edition ?&ederal 6o%ernment of Nigeria) 1"1A. In the

re%ised educational policy of 1"1) it was yet again proposed that the

go%ernment would ma<e the ! compulsory as soon as possible.

The ! policy which eliminated school fees in 1"#F aimed to ha%e acomparati%ely limited impact on primary school enrolments in the

educationally de%eloped states) while ha%ing large effects in the educationally

less de%eloped states. Howe%er) while primary school enrolment le%els

increased in both groups of states) schooling increased faster in the lessde%eloped states but this trend was not commensurate with the population

figures. In the north of the country) the =ur>anic school system with its

attendant problems of itinerant pupils continued to thri%e and run parallel with

the national educational system because e%en though the ! made primaryeducation free and uni%ersal) no attempt was made to ma<e it compulsory for

all children ?Imam) 899CA. 4n the other hand) in the states of the south) where

there was already in place a policy of uni%ersal primary education since

the1"9s) pupils> enrolment in school was the norm and so classroom

construction at the primary-school and teacher-training le%els was less

pre%alent in these states ?4sili) 899A.

Howe%er) the ! ended in 5eptember 1"1. The reason was that the

federal go%ernment in the re%ised policy shed the responsibility it undertoo< in

the 1"## policy to finance primary education by transferring it to the states and

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"1




local go%ernments. Nwagwu ?8911A reported a crisis of educational funding

brought about by the oil glut in the world mar<et in the early 1"9s which ledto a sudden decline in Nigeria>s re%enue from petroleum products that had

accounted for appro*imately 9J of its income from e*ports. The result was

unpaid teacher salaries) degradation of education facilities at all le%els and

stri<es in uni%ersities and schools resulting in declining literacy rates in the

country ?4du<oya) 899"A. Thus with reduced funding for primary education)

and school fees reintroduction in the 1"9s) primary enrolments fell or

stagnated in some states ?4sili) 899A. /lso) instead of the automatic promotion

policy of the !) a combined method of e%aluation of pupilsstudents>

performance and certification through continuous assessments and

e*aminations was introduced. Howe%er) this did not stop the emphasis oncertification instead of s<ills ac;uisition. There was also) recognition of the

importance of language as a means of preser%ing the culture of the people and

for forging national unity. $onse;uently) the 1"1 re%ised policy prescribed

that each child be encouraged to learn one of the three ma0or languages in thecountry+ Hausa Ibo and 7oruba) other than the mother tongue ?&ederal

'epublic of Nigeria) 1"1A.

The National olicy on !ducation was again re%ised in 1"" and 899( to

ma<e it rele%ant to the de%elopment needs of the country. Doolman ?8991Aopined that there is obser%able relationship between education and national

de%elopment in /frica) as education continues to be a ;uestion of critical

concern in many of the countries 0ust li<e it is in Nigeria. 5ince education is an

agent of cultural transmission as well as change+ the constant re%ision of the National olicy on !ducation in Nigeria readily finds support in Doolman

?8991>sA prescription that education should also reflect the dynamic process of

nation building that is continually being modified by new conditions.

The re%ised National olicy on !ducation ?&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria

?1""AA prescribed a ni%ersal Basic !ducation ?B!A programme) which is

compulsory for all children in the country) gi%en in the form of nine years

continued education in the form of si* years primary education and three years

0unior secondary schooling. $onse;uently in 1""") the &ederal 6o%ernment of

Nigeria) flagged the B! programme as a means of achie%ing e;ual

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"8




educational opportunities and eradicating illiteracy. Howe%er) e%en though

policy prescribed a compulsory B!) it was not enforced. The &ederal6o%ernment had adopted the National olicy on !ducation as Ean instrument

par e*cellence for affecting national de%elopment>?&ederal 'epublic of

Nigeria) 1""A. Thus) in the Crd edition of the policy) the minimum standard for

entry into the teaching profession was raised from Teacher 6rade II $ertificate

to the National $ertificate of !ducation ?N$!A. This ;ualification is obtained

after three years of senior secondary schooling and a 5enior 5econdary 5chool

$ertificate !*amination. The sources of 6o%ernment>s financing of education

were di%ersified to include sources such as the !ducation Ta* &und amongst

others. The 6o%ernment hoped to use education as a tool for promoting

national unity and for the total de%elopment of the indi%idual as well ase;uipping the indi%idual with <nowledge and s<ills for adaptation into the

larger society ?&afunwa) 899(A. It was also the intention that the far-reaching

pro%isions of the policy would transform all aspects of national life o%er time.

Thus) %arious programmes li<e the Nomadic education for the education of themigrant ethnic groups such as the nomadic cattle rearing &ulani and I0aw

fishermen were introduced ?&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria) 1""+ mar and

Tahir) 8999A. &urthermore) the policy reiterated the go%ernment>s stance in

pro%ision of secular education but with opportunities for religious instructionaccording to the faith of pupils> parents. Howe%er) the issue of gi%ing basic

education to children who are itinerant pupils attending local =ur>anic schools

was not directly addressed by the go%ernment. This form of education

continued to thri%e in the north because of its sensiti%ity to local customs andreligion ?Imam) 8991A.

The National olicy on !ducation has been re%ised to accommodate

changes in the direction of education brought about by technological

de%elopment ?Nwagwu) 899#A. To this end) the policy proposed that

admissions into uni%ersities be based on F9 per cent science based programmes

and (9 per cent humanities. Nwagwu ?899#A is emphatic that it was in the bid

to launch Nigeria into a technological and industriali@ed nation that uni%ersities

and institutes of technology were established by the go%ernment. He supported

his argument with the e*pressed belief in the National olicy on !ducation

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"C




?899() p. A that Eeducation shall continue to be highly rated in the national

de%elopment plans because education is the most important instrument ofchange+ any fundamental change in the intellectual and social outloo< of any

society has to be preceded by educational re%olution>.

Howe%er) the policy failed to achie%e its goals for higher education as the

uni%ersities were unable to meet the prescribed science-humanities ratio in

admissions in fa%our of the humanities which continues to attract more

candidates due to social demands. /lso) according to Nwagwu ?899#A the

Nigerian economy) science and technology are grossly underde%eloped because

the educational system at all le%els is not e;uipping beneficiaries with the

needed s<ills necessary for national de%elopment. Harbison ?1"#CA is emphatic

that human resources constitute the ultimate basis of the wealth of nations because they are the acti%e agents in the political) economic and social

de%elopment of the nation. Therefore) graduates with little or no s<ills in self-

reliance) ha%e continued to the ran<s of the unemployed ?4du<oya) 899"A.

&urther Buchmann and Hannum ?8991A ha%e asserted that de%eloping countries?such as NigeriaA) may be able to signal mass educational opportunity by

e*pounding the benefits of education) but may be too wea< to create stable and

effecti%e educational institutions. Thus Buchmann and Hannum ?8991A ha%e

made reference to se%eral studies that ha%e e*amined the deleterious effects ofstate wea<ness in the education sector) including e*cessi%e demand for higher

education) e*treme regional disparities in school supply) and poor school

;uality ?Buchmann 1""") arrado 1"") &uller 1""1) ost 1""9A.

The unsatisfactory state of education in Nigeria is the resultant conse;uenceof a lac< of proper implementation of the national education policy and the

funding crises. The findings of the educational sector analysis ?&ederal

Ministry of !ducation) 899FA confirmed the poor state of education in Nigeria.

/mongst the findings of the education sector analysis reported by Igbu@or

?899FA are a national literacy rate of # per cent) (" per cent un;ualified

teachers in the schools) and acute shortages of infrastructure and facilities at all

le%els. &urthermore) access to basic education is inhibited by gender issues and

socio-cultural beliefs and practices) among other factors. There are wide

disparities in educational standards and learning achie%ements at all le%els of

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"(




education) because the system emphasi@es theoretical <nowledge at the

e*pense of s<ills ac;uisition.In 1"C) the National olicy on !ducation was again re%ised. Howe%er) this

re%ision was aborted when the second democratic go%ernment was toppled by

the Military. The &ederal Military 6o%ernment thereafter promulgated se%eral

decrees to guide and regulate the conduct of education. Notably amongst

which was ecree No. 1F of 1") which set the bench mar< for National

Minimum 5tandards and the establishment of schools. ecree No. 8F of 1")

which proscribed and prohibited the /cademic 5taff nion of ni%ersities

?/5A from participating in trade union acti%ities and ecree No. CF of 1""9)

which re%o<ed the proscription of /5) and other decrees. This era

witnessed a down turn in the economy which led to massi%e trade unions unrestin the country and crises in the educational sector due to grossly inade;uate

funding of the sector.

There was yet another re%ision of the policy in 1"") which culminated in

the 8nd re%ised edition of the National olicy on !ducation ?&ederal 'epublicof Nigeria)1""A the 1"C re%ised edition ha%ing been 0ettisoned. This edition

of the policy prescribed the &irst 5chool lea%ing $ertificate and the uni%ersal

basic education ?B!A programme the "-C-( system of education) comprising

of nine years of uni%ersal compulsory schooling to be gi%en as si* years of primary education) and three years of 0unior secondary education. /t the end of

the nine year B! programme) all candidates are re;uired to sit for an e*ternal

e*amination and graduate with the 3unior 5econdary 5chool $ertificate. The

educational system was designed to allow recipients to continue careersthrough apprenticeships and other %ocational training programmes after the

nine years of schooling ?4laniyan and 4badara) 899A. The 8nd edition of the

policy also proposed the pro%ision of B! in a %ariety of forms) depending on

the needs and possibilities for all citi@ens.

The 1"" re%ised National olicy on !ducation) came on the heels of the

1""" $onstitution of the &ederal republic of Nigeria) which ushered in the

country>s third attempt at democracy. $hapter 11) 5ection 1 of the

$onstitution re-affirms the ob0ecti%es of education in Nigeria as contained in

the 1"#" $onstitution of Nigeria and the National olicy on !ducation. The

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"




$onstitution ?&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria) 1""") p. 8"A ga%e impetus to

ensuring the following:1. e;ual and ade;uate educational opportunities for all at all le%els of the

educational system+

8. promotion of science and technology+

C. eradication of illiteracy through the pro%ision of

aA free compulsory uni%ersal primary education) and

bA free uni%ersity education) and

cA free adult literacy programme.

In 899() the National olicy on !ducation was once more re%ised. This is

the latest re%ised educational policy and (th edition. 6enerally) the Nationalolicy of !ducation in Nigeria is based on the dynamic model of formulating

educational policies) which is adapti%e to changes and most appropriate for a

de%eloping country and multi-ethnic nation li<e Nigeria. The policy has the

following peculiarities:1A It set specific ob0ecti%es for the nation and its education+

8A it addressed the problem of unity and laid foundation for national

integration+

CA It aimed at realising a self-reliant and self-sufficient nation to meet thecountry>s de%elopmental needs.

(A It ga%e a comprehensi%e structure of educational system and laid the

foundation for the F-C-C-( system of education in Nigeria ?i.e. si* years

primary schooling) three years 0unior secondary education) three yearssenior secondary school and four years uni%ersity educationA+

A It made education in Nigeria the go%ernment>s responsibility in terms of

centrali@ed control and funding of education+

FA It had a broad curriculum which aimed at creating learning opportunity

for all children) irrespecti%e of their se*) peculiar bac<ground or ability+

and

#A It also specified the functions of adult education) non-formal education)

special education and open and distance learning. ?&ederal 6o%ernment

of Nigeria) 1"## 'e%ised 1"1) 1"" and 899(A

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"F




This (th edition of the policy which is presently in operation prescribes an

inclusi%e education to ta<e care of children recogni@ed as ha%ing special needs.It in addition it addresses the needs of itinerant pupils through the prescription

of the integrated =ur>anic school programme as well as programmes for out of

school children. The policy reiterates the 6o%ernment>s commitment to the

implementation of the B! programme and the "-C-( system of education.

Basic education is gi%en in the form of si* years primary education after which

pupils proceed to the 3unior secondary school where they spend three years.

The policy saw the disarticulation of 0unior secondary school from the senior

secondary to form basic education schools.

The goals for primary education are the pro%ision of functional literacy and

numeracy) culti%ation of positi%e attitudes) leading to cooperation) communityand continuous learning that support national de%elopment ?Doolman) 8991)

&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria) 899(A. The primary education is for children aged

F to 11 years plus) while the 0unior secondary school is for those aged 18

years to 1( plus. Basic education is managed by the states and localgo%ernment with some financial input from the &ederal 6o%ernment which

gi%es the direction for policy implementation. Both the primary and 0unior

secondary schools are under the management of the 5tates> ni%ersal Basic

!ducation Boards. Howe%er) staff of the primary school are recruited by thelocal go%ernment authorities. /lso) each school has its own respecti%e

administrati%e system under the leadership of a head teacher or school principal

as may be applicable at the schools> le%els. These persons are usually

appointed from amongst e*perienced teachers in the school.The senior secondary school is of three years duration) and is for

adolescents aged between 1 and 1 years old. It is wholly financed and

managed by the 5tates> go%ernment through the 5econdary education

Management Board of the Ministries of !ducation. Howe%er) there are a few

unity secondary schools financed and managed by the federal Ministry of

!ducation. The school is headed by a principal who is charged with policy

implementation at that le%el. eople are appointed to a school leadership

position based on e*perience and a ;uota policy which supports fair

representation based on ethnic grouping.

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"#




In terms of the school curricula design) the responsibility for basic

education and senior secondary school curricula) rests with the &ederal6o%ernment through its organ the Nigerian !ducational 'esearch and

e%elopment $ouncil ?N!'$A. Howe%er) each locality is e*pected to adapt

the implementation of the national policy to suit their local conditions based on

the national curricula. /t the basic education le%el) the curricula comprises of

!nglish language) Mathematics) religious studies ?depending on the faith of

pupils> parentsA) academic sub0ects li<e Basic 5cience and Technology) and

5ocial 5tudies. The pre%ocational sub0ects offered include $ultural and

$reati%e /rts) $omputer 5tudies) /griculture) Home !conomics and hysical

and Health !ducation. 4ne ma0or Nigeria language ?either Hausa) Igbo or

7orubaA has been added to the list of curricula offerings and where there area%ailable teachers &rench or /rabic is offered) bringing a total of fourteen

sub0ects. /t the end of the nine years basic education) in the final class of the

0unior secondary school) all pupils sit for an e*ternal e*amination and

certification. The assessment is by a combination of (9 per cent continuousassessment and F9 per cent performance in the e*amination. upils>

performance in the 3unior 5econdary 5chool $ertificate !*amination ?355$!A

determines whether they go on to the senior secondary school le%el.

The senior secondary school is streamed into /rts and 5ocial 5cience)5ciences and ocational and Technical !ducation) and students at this le%el are

placed in a stream based on their performance in the 355$! and interests. The

curriculum at the 555 le%el comprise compulsory sub0ects which are !nglish

2anguage and Mathematics) one ma0or Nigerian language) one %ocationalsub0ect and a selection of three sub0ects from the sub0ect area of interest in the

/rts and 5ocial 5cience) 5ciences) ocational studies or Technical !ducation.

/ll students sit for e*ternal e*aminations. The certification at this le%el is based

on (9 per cent continuous assessment and F9 per cent e*amination and on

successful completion students pass out with the 5enior 5econdary 5chool

$ertificate6eneral $ertificate of !ducation ?4> le%elsA. The emphasis is still

on certification.

In Nigeria) !nglish language is the medium of instruction) howe%er) the

national policy ad%ocates the use of the mother tongue in teaching the lower

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1"




le%els of the primary school. But as Doolman ?8991A has obser%ed Nigeria has

in all) 8#9 indigenous Nigerian languages that may ;ualify as instructionaltongues for early primary classrooms. Many of the smaller languages ha%e no

written orthography) which ma<es materials production ;uite difficult.

Doolman was emphatic that it is for this reason that !nglish is still largely

used and the language was adopted as the language of instruction since

independence. Nonetheless) he obser%ed that the content of te*tboo<s was

/fricanised. /lso) in the =ur>anic schools) pupils learn in /rabic under a

system of education that runs parallel with the nation>s educational system. The

curriculum in these schools is narrow and prepares them only for adaptation

into their own communities alone) read the =ur>an and to be able to obser%e

Muslim religious rites ?Imam) 899CA. &or now the integrated =ur>anic school policy is yet to be actuali@ed. It is howe%er) pertinent to note that the =ur>anic

school and its itinerant pupil phenomenon is the greatest source of rural urban

drift that is threatening rural farming communities amongst the large Hausa

population in the north of Nigeria ?Imam) 8991A. This is because when many ofthe pupils complete their education they remain in the city where they end up

on the bottom rung of society>s ladder and ta<e up menial labour li<e truc<

pushing. /ccording to Imam ?8991A the =ur>anic school does not pro%ide a

fa%ourable en%ironment for inculcation of the right <ind of %alues for thesur%i%al of the indi%idual in the larger Nigerian society. 'ather the =ur>anic

school adapts pupils for their own immediate community and to practice the

Islamic religious rites. The conse;uence of not being integrated or the feeling

of not belonging to the larger society for national unity is enormous. If peopleare dri%en by their limited outloo<) and by hunger and po%erty) there is the

potential for social instability and sectarian crises. The National olicy on

!ducation ?&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria) 899(A has proposed an integrated

=ur>anic school policy to ta<e care of the education of itinerant people in their

own cultural setting. Howe%er) the implementation of the policy is fraught with

problems. /n alternati%e basic education curriculum for the integrated

=ur>anic school) adapted to local conditions is needed as well as the modality

of implementation.

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

1""




The National !ducational olicy pro%ides educational opportunities for

those who are unable to complete their education or benefit from furthereducation through the regular channels) through adult education and open and

distance education. The ob0ecti%es of secondary education ?&ederal 'epublic of

Nigeria) 899(A are Epreparation for useful li%ing in the society and for higher

education>. There are high failure rates in the 555$! and a clamour for higher

education while those who are unable to proceed beyond the senior secondary

school le%el are lac<ing in self-reliant s<ills in any %ocation. The ob0ecti%es of

secondary education Epreparation for useful li%ing in the society and for higher

education> are not being achie%ed. Many of the pupils do not go on to the

senior secondary due to a lac< of resources to pay the fees and other charges.

5uch young people are not e;uipped with ade;uate s<ills. /lso) young peoplewould benefit from pathways from the =ur>anic school to secondary education

beyond that of a basic education le%el for those who are able and willing and

with the actualisation of the integrated =ur>anic school. There is need for a

re%ision of the 899( National olicy on !ducation to ma<e children stay inschool until they complete the senior secondary school and turn eighteen years

old. This de%elopment is in tandem with British educational policy which

e%ol%ed from the 1"(( !ducation /ct and allows for a uni%ersal free secondary

education according to the interest of candidates ?6illard) 8911A. It is also inconsonance with what operates in other ad%anced countries of the world li<e

the nited 5tates from which Nigeria borrowed its new educational system.

Howe%er) no matter how beautiful the National olicy on !ducation ?&ederal

'epublic of Nigeria) 899(A is on paper) the implementation is fraught with problems if the political) economic and socio-cultural aspects are not sensiti%e

to the aspiration and needs of the people) and country.

Conclusion

5ince 1"(() during the colonial era) go%ernments in Nigeria ha%e e*pressed

a commitment to education) in the belief that o%ercoming illiteracy and

ignorance will form a basis for accelerated national de%elopment as e%idenced

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

899




by British $olonial participation in educational pro%ision) the ! of the

western and eastern region in the 1"9s) the 1"#F national ! and the currentB! programmes. !ducation is %ery crucial to the de%elopment of citi@ens.

Nigeria) howe%er) has problems such as ine;ualities in access to education) an

educational gap between the north and south) dwindling financial resources)

and inade;uate infrastructures. These barriers continue to impede the

effecti%eness of the educational system. The relationship between education

and national de%elopment is a matter of critical interest to present and past

go%ernments of the country. 5imilarly) $onstitutional re%iews in the country

and in recognition of the fact that educational policy is dynamic) ha%e led the

&ederal 6o%ernment of Nigeria to re%ise the National olicy on !ducation

from 1"##) resulting in four editions to date. In synopsis) the National olicyon !ducation is dynamic and sub0ect to amendments so as to ma<e it rele%ant

and effecti%e in addressing societal problems and meeting the needs of the

pluralistic Nigerian society. In addition) in order to minimi@e conflict) it is

good that people are ade;uately in%ol%ed in the policy process and cognisancemust be ta<en in education policy re%iews of all the good parts of educational

policies) whether they be of former British colonial masters or of the post-

colonial era. /lso) the %alues of traditional /frican education for self-reliance

should be infused into the educational policy. This calls for a re%iew of the National olicy on !ducation in the light of the new socio-economic demands.

$orrespondingly) the effect of political instability on the goals of education and

mobili@ation of resources is all too e%ident. / stable democracy no doubt

would pro%ide the necessary conduci%e en%ironment for the effecti%eimplementation of the National !ducational olicy. This re%iew of educational

policy de%elopment in Nigeria pro%ides a platform for comparati%e study of

educational policies of countries with pluralistic societies and those that ha%e

undergone colonialism and which are still e%ol%ing.

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

891




_____________________________________________________________________________

Acknowledgements: My sincere gratitude goes to r /lison Taysum for the encouragement to

write.

_____________________________________________________________________________

$eferences

/liu) 7.4. ?1""#A. Introduction to Manual on University Management . /bu0a: National

ni%ersity $ommission.Buchmann) $. ?1"""A. !ducational Ine;uality and o%erty in 5ub-5aharan /frica. rospects.Quarterly eview o! "om#arative Education) $%) 9C-1.

Buchmann) $.) G Hannum) !. ?8991A. !ducation and 5tratification in e%eloping $ountries: /'e%iew of Theories and 'esearch. Annual eview o! &ociology) $' ?1A) ##-198.

i<e) K.4. ?1"9A. 199 7ears of British 'ule in Nigeria) 11-1"#. In I. 4baro ?!d.A)(roundwork o! Nigerian History. Ibadan: Heinemann.

&abunmi) M. ?899A. Historical /nalysis of !ducational olicy &ormulation in Nigeria:Implications for !ducational lanning and policy. International )ournal o! A!rican and

A!rican American &tudies) *?8A) 1-#.&afunwa) /. B. ?899(A. History o! Education in Nigeria. Ibadan: N$ !ducational ublishers

2td.A.&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ?1"#CA. e#ort o! t+e &eminar on a National Policy on Education.

2agos: &ederal Ministry of !ducation.&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ?1"##A. National Policy on Education. 2agos: 6o%ernment rinter.

&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ? 1"#"A. "onstitution o! t+e ,ederal e#ublic o! Nigeria.&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ?1"1A. National Policy on Education ?8nd !ditionA. 2agos:

Nigerian !ducational 'esearch and e%elopment $ouncil ress.&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ?1""A. National Policy on Education ?Crd !d.A. 2agos: Nigerian

!ducational 'esearch and e%elopment $ouncil ress.&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ?1"""A. "onstitution o! t+e ,ederal e#ublic o! Nigeria.

&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ?899(A. National Policy on Education ?(th !d.A. 2agos: Nigerian!ducational 'esearch and e%elopment $ouncil ress.

&ederal 'epublic of Nigeria ?899FA. Education &ector e#ort . /bu0a: &ederal Ministry of!ducation.

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

898




&uller) B. ?1""1A. (rowing U# Modern- .+e /estern &tate 0uilds .+ird /orld &c+ools1 New7or<: 'outledge.

6reen) /. ?1""#A. !ducation and 6lobali@ation in !urope and !ast /sia: $on%ergent andi%ergent Trends. )ournal o! Education Policy) 1() -#1.

6reen) /. ?8999A. $on%erging aths or 5hips assing in the NightL /n E!nglish> $riti;ue3apanese 5chool 'eform1 )ournal o! "om#arative Education) 234 (A) (1#-(C.

6illard . ?8911A. !ducation in !ngland: / Brief History. www.educationengland.org.u< .Harbison) & H. ?1"#CA. Human esources as t+e /ealt+ o! Nations. New 7or<: 4*ford

ni%ersity ress.Igbu@or) /. ?899FA. The 5tate of !ducation in Nigeria. Economy and Policy eview) 5$?CA) "-1.

Imam) H. ?8991A. The $ultural ractice of /lma0irci !ducation and its 5ocio-oliticalImplication. )ournal o! 6evelo#ment and &ociety) 5?CA) (F-C.

Imam) H. ?899CA. / 5ur%ey of re-$olonial /lma0irci !ducation in Kanem-Borno andHausaland. &APHA7 )ournal o! Historical &tudies)5?1A) 1-F.

Nigerian !ducational 'esearch $ouncil ?N!'$A ?1"#8A. A P+iloso#+y !or Nigerian Education.Ibadan: Heinemann !ducational Boo<s.

Nwagwu) I.4. ?899#A. Higher !ducation for 5elf-'eliance: /n Imperati%e for the Nigerianeconomy. In 3.B. Babalola) 6.4. /<pa) /.4. /yeni) G 5.4. /dede0i ?!ds.A) Access8 E9uity

and E9uality in Hig+er Education ?pp.1-A. Nigeria: Nigerian /ssociation for !ducational/dministration and lanning.

Nwagwu) $.$. ?8911A. The !n%ironment of $rises in the Nigerian !ducation 5ystem the!n%ironment of $rises in the Nigerian !ducation 5ystem. $omparati%e !ducation) CC?1A)

#"F.4du<oya) . ?899"A &ormulation and Implementation of !ducational olicies in Nigeria)

!ducational 'esearch Networ< for Dest /nd $entral /frica ?!'N$/D/A)

www.slideshare.net.4gunsola) /.&. ?1"8A. :egislation and Education in Nort+ern Nigeria. Ibadan: ni%ersity ress

2td.4laniyan) . /. G 4badara) 4.!. ?899A. /critical re%iew of management of primary education

in Nigeria. International )ournal o! A!rican ; A!rican American &tudies) ' ?1A) 11-89.

4sili) .4.I. ?899A. oes &emale 5chooling 'educes &ertilityL ebating and roposing olicy4ptions for National e%elopment. !nugu: /frican Institute for /pplied !conomics.

4@igi) /. G 4cho) 2. ?1"1A. Education in Nort+ern Nigeria. 2ondon: 6eorge /llen and nwinublishers 2td.

arrado) !./. ?1""A. !*pansion of 5chooling) !conomic 6rowth) and 'egional Ine;ualities in/rgentina. "om#arative Education eview) *$) CC-CF(.

ost) . ?1""9A. The 5ocial emand for !ducation in eru: 5tudents> $hoices and 5tate/utonomy. &ociology o! Education) 32) 8-#1.

5asnett) M.T. G 5epmeyer) H.I. ?1"F#A. Educational &ystems o! A!rica. 2os /ngeles: ni%ersityof $alifornia ress.

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

89C

http://www.slideshare.net/






Taiwo) $.4. ?1"9A. .+e Nigerian Educational &ystem. 2agos: Thomas Nelson Nigeria 2imited.Ti<ly) 2. ?8991A. 6lobalisation and !ducation in the ostcolonial Dorld+ Towards a $onceptual

&ramewor<. "om#arative Education) 2' ?8A) 11-1#1.chendu) .$. ?1"#"A. !ducation and olitics in Tropical /frica. New 7or<: $onch Maga@ine.

mar) /. G Tahir) 6. ?8999A. 'esearching Nomadic !ducation: / Nigerian perspecti%e.

International )ournal o! Educational esearc+) 22?CA) 8C1-(9Doolman) .$. ?8991A. !ducational 'econstruction /nd ost-$olonial $urriculum

e%elopment: / $omparati%e 5tudy of &our /frican $ountries. International Education

)ournal ) $? A) 8#-(F.

IT/2I/N 34'N/2 4& 54$I42467 4& !$/TI4N) 1) 8918.

89(

Documents

142-534-1-PB educational policy