EDUCATION STRUCTURE IN NIGERIA

Education in Nigeria is overseen by the Ministry of Education. Local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for state-controlled public education and state schools at a regional level. The education system is divided into Kindergarten, primary education, secondary education and tertiary education.

PRIMARY EDUCATION

Primary education begins at the age of 4 for the majority of Nigerians. Students spend six years in primary school and graduate with a school-leaving certificate. Subjects taught at the primary level include mathematics, English language, Christian Religious Knowledge, Islamic knowledge studies, science and one of the three main indigenous languages and cultures, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo. Private schools would also offer computer science, French, and Fine Arts. Primary school students are required to take a Common Entrance Examination to qualify for admission into the Federal and State Government Secondary schools, as well as private ones.

The Universal Basic Education, UBE, came as a replacement of the Universal Primary Education and an innovation to enhance the success of the first nine years of schooling The UBE involves 6 years of Primary School education and 3 years of Junior Secondary School education, culminating in 9 years of uninterrupted schooling, and transition from one class to another is automatic but determined through continuous assessment. This scheme is monitored by the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, and has made it "free", "compulsory" and a right of every child.[1] Therefore, the UBEC law section 15 defines UBE as early childhood care and education. The law stipulates a 9-year formal schooling, adult literacy and non-formal education, skill acquisition programs and the education of special groups such as nomads and migrants, girl child and women, Al-majiri, street children and disabled people (Aderinoye, 2007

SECONDARY EDUCATION

Students spend six years in Secondary School, that is 3 years of JSS (Junior Secondary School), and 3 years of SSS (Senior Secondary School). By Senior Secondary School Class 2 (SS2), students are taking the GCE O’Levels exam, which is not mandatory, but most students take it to prepare for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination. The Senior Secondary School ends on the WASSCE. Junior Secondary School is free and compulsory. It leads to the BECE, which opens the gate to Senior Secondary School.[3] SSS curriculum is based on 6 core subjects completed by 2 or 3 elective subjects. Core subject are: English; mathematics; Economics; one major Nigerian language; one elective out of biology, chemistry, physics or integrated science; one elective out of English literature, history, geography or social studies; agricultural science or a vocational subject which includes: Commerce, food and nutrition, technical drawing or fine arts.

Students can also join, after the BECE, a technical college. The curriculum also lasts 3 years and leads to a trade/craftsmanship certificate.[4]

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is made up of thirty-six States and the Federal Capital Territory. There are about two Federal Government Colleges in each state. These schools are funded and managed directly by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Education. Teachers and staff are Federal Government employees. Teachers at the Federal Government schools possess a Bachelor's degree in Education or in a particular subject area, such as, Mathematics, Physics etc. These schools are supposed to be model schools carrying and maintaining the ideals of secondary education for Nigerian students. Admission is based on merit, determined by the National Common Entrance Examination taken by all final year elementary school pupils. Tuition and fees are very low, approximately sixteen thousand naira, because funding comes from the Federal Government.

State-owned secondary schools are funded by each state government and are not comparable to the Federal government colleges. Although education is supposed to be free in the majority of the state owned institutions, students are required to purchase books, uniforms and pay for miscellaneous things costing them an average of thirty thousand naira in an academic year. Teachers in State-owned institutions usually have a National Certificate of Education or a Bachelor's degree, but this is not always the case as many secondary schools in Nigeria are filled with unqualified teachers who end up not being able to motivate the students. Often these schools are understaffed due to low state budgets, lack of incentives and irregularities in payment of staff salaries. Some state-owned secondary schools are regarded as elite colleges because of the historically high educational standard and producing alumni who have prominent citizens in the various careers. These included King's College, Lagos and Queen's College, Lagos. However, the college ranking of these institutions have since dropped because of the arrival of some Private Institutions.

Private secondary schools in Nigeria tend to be quite expensive with average annual fees averaging from one hundred and sixty to three hundred and twenty thousand naira. These schools have smaller classes (approximately twenty to thirty students per class), modern equipment and a better environment. Most teachers in these institutions possess at least a Bachelor's degree in a specific course area and are sent for workshops or short term programs on a regular basis.

PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATION

With the introduction of 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria, the recipient of the education would spend six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary school, three years in senior secondary school, and four years in tertiary institution. The six years spent in primary school and the three years spent in junior secondary school are merged to form the nine in the 9-3-4 system. Altogether, the students must spend a minimum period of six years in Secondary School. During this period, students are expected to spend three years in Junior Secondary School and three years in Senior Secondary School.

The General Certificate of Education Examination (GCE) was replaced by the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). The SSCE is conducted at the end of the Secondary School studies in May/June. The GCE is conducted in October/November as a supplement for those students who did not get the required credits from their SSCE results. The standards of the two examinations are basically the same. A body called West African Examination Council (WAEC) conducts both the SSCE and GCE. A maximum of nine and a minimum of seven subjects are registered for the examination by each student with Mathematics and English Language taken as compulsory.

A maximum of nine grades are assigned to each subject from: A1, B2, B3 (Equivalent to Distinctions Grade); C4, C5, C6 (Equivalent to Credit Grade); D7, E8 (Just Pass Grade); F9 (Fail Grade). Credit grades and above is considered academically adequate for entry into any University in Nigeria. In some study programs, many of the universities may require higher grades to get admission.

The Federal Government policy on education is adhered to by all secondary schools in Nigeria. Six years of elementary school is followed by six years of secondary school. Senior Secondary school consists of the SS I, SS 2, and SS 3 which is equivalent to the 10th, 11th and 12th Grade. The Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE) is taken at the end of the SS 3. The West African Examination Council (WAEC) administers both exams. Three to six months after a student has taken the SSCE examination, they are issued an official transcript from their institution. This transcript is valid for one year, after which an Official transcript from the West African Examination Council is issued.

National Examination Council is another examination body in Nigeria Senior Secondary School Examination (SSCE)in June/July. The body also administer General Certificate of Education Examination (GCE)in December/January. The students often take both WAEC and NECO examinations in SSS 3.[2]

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

As of January 2015, the International Schools Consultancy (ISC)[5] listed Nigeria as having 129 international schools.[6] ISC defines an 'international school' in the following terms "ISC includes an international school if the school delivers a curriculum to any combination of pre-school, primary or secondary students, wholly or partly in English outside an English-speaking country, or if a school in a country where English is one of the official languages, offers an English-medium curriculum other than the country’s national curriculum and is international in its orientation."[7] This definition is used by publications including The Economist.

TERTIARY EDUCATION

The government has majority control of university education. The country has a total number of 129 universities registered by NUC among which federal and state government own 40 and 39 respectively while 50 universities are privately owned. In order to increase the number of universities in Nigeria from 129 to 138 the Federal Government gave 9 new private universities their licences in May 2015. The names of the universities that got licenses in Abuja included, Augustine University, Ilara, Lagos; Chrisland University, Owode, Ogun State; Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State; Hallmark University, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun State; Kings University, Ode-Omu, Osun State; Micheal and Cecilia Ibru University, Owhrode, Delta State; Mountain Top University, Makogi/Oba Ogun state; Ritman University, Ikot-Epene, Akwa- Ibom State and Summit University, Offa, Kwara State.

First year entry requirements into most universities in Nigeria include: Minimum of SSCE/GCE Ordinary Level Credits at maximum of two sittings; Minimum cut-off marks in Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Entrance Examination (JAMB) of 180 and above out of a maximum of 400 marks are required. Candidates with minimum of Merit Pass in National Certificate of Education (NCE), National Diploma (ND) and other Advanced Level Certificates minimum qualifications with minimum of 5 O/L Credits are given direct entry admission into the appropriate undergraduate degree programs.

Students normally enter university from age 18 onwards, and study for an academic degree. Historically, universities are divided into several tiers:

First Generation Universities

Five of these Universities were established between 1948 and 1965, following the recommendation of the Ashby Commission set up by the British Colonial Government to study the necessity of university education for Nigeria. These universities are fully funded by the federal government. They were established primarily to meet a need for qualified personnel in Nigeria and to set basic standards for university education. These universities have continued to play their roles for the production of qualified personnel and the provision of standards, which have helped to guide the subsequent establishments of other generations of universities in Nigeria. Universities in this tier include the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the University of Ibadan.

Second Generation Universities

With the increasing population of qualified students for university education in Nigeria and the growing needs for scientific and technological developments, setting up more universities became imperative. Between 1970 and 1985, 12 additional universities were established and located in various parts of the country.

Third Generation Universities

The need to establish Universities to address special areas of Technological and Agricultural demand prompted the setting up of 10 additional Universities between 1985 and 1999.

State Universities

Pressures from qualified students from each state who could not readily get admissions to any of the Federal Universities continued to mount on States Governments. It became imperative and urgent for some State Governments to invest in the establishment of Universities.

Private Universities

In recognition of the need to encourage private participation in the provision of university education, the Federal Government established a law in 1993, allowing private sectors to establish universities following guidelines prescribed by the Government.

The typical duration of undergraduate programs in Nigerian universities depends largely on the program of study. For example, Social Sciences/Humanity related courses are 4 Years, Engineering/Technology related courses are 5 Years, Pharmacy courses are 5 Years, and Law courses are 5 Years, each with two semester sessions per year. Medicine (Vet/Human) degrees take 6 Years and have longer sessions during the year.

STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES OF 6-3-3-4 EDUCATION STRUCTURE IN NIGERIA

This implementation problem of 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria cannot be divorced from the way introductory technology is being handled in schools all over the country i.e. the problem of 6-3-3-4 implementation is partly due to non availability of men. material, money and mind/culture in relation to their need in the implementation of introductory technology,specifically as-a subject in secondary schools. According to Abdulkareem (1992), one of the greatest problems facing the implementation of the new policy on education in Nigeria is qualified personnel in quantity and quality.

(a) teachers in the science, technical and vocational subjects.

(b) school inspectors and education supervisor for quality control.

(c) School managers, administrators for the efficient and effective running of the schools programme.

(d) Supportive staff such as laboratory assistants, library assistants, workshop attendants etc. and

(e) Guidance counsellors to guide for proper placement having the adequate knowledge of Individual's aptitude and interest.

Men and Materials

There is no doubt there are shortage of men and materials even at the federal level to implement the 6-3-3-4 system of education. These facts were revealed Kusamotu (1986), who noted that in the implementation of the 6-3-3-4 system of education the areas of emphasis are the technical and vocational, which require materials in science and technical disciplines. These materials are either not adequately supplied or where supplied they are left outside at the mercies of weather keep beating them or thieves who steals in parts or as a whole the machines and equipment in the secondary schools all over the country.

Money

The idea of the new system of education was conceived during the years of plenty (during the “oil boom”), and unfortunately, the implementation period falls in the period of dearth (the period of "oil boom:). Now that the country is in a terrible financial state, the consequence of this to or on the implementation is negative as everything virtually comes to a stand still in the absence of money.

Mind/(Culture)

The new system of education is a conscious effort to effect a positive change using education as a means of bringing innovation in tothe life of the nation with resultant development.

But due to the natural tendency of man to resist change, the new system was greeted with lukewarm attitude by the people. While the Federal Government also had its own share of the blame as revealed at the one day seminar on the 6- 3-3-4 education system and the drive for self employment held at the University of Ilorin, Faculty of Education, where the Federal Government was criticized for deliberately usurping the goal of the system by paying more attention to the (NDE) National Directorate of Employment in various job creation drive, (1990).

It is unfortunate that the government and people of Nigeria's attitude towards solving-the country's problem of development leaves much to be desired and this seems to confirm the view of some authors as to whether the present 6-3- 3-4 programme is not being too ambitious for the country's level of seriousness, particularly when one sees its implementation method.

Suggestions and Recommendations on the Problem of Implementation

If 6-3-3-4 programme must bear the fruit of success expected of it by the government and people of Nigeria, some steps must be taken. Foremost, that the need for gradual and systematic approach towards the implementation of 6-3- 3-4 programme should be recognised and followed in the spirit of "make haste slowly", that the goals and objectives set be periodically evaluated to give room for innovations aimed at solving the emerging problems.

Naturally speaking, the horse should come before the cart, but the reverse is the case at the implementation stage of 6-3-3-4 programme in Nigeria. Accounting to Fafunwa (1982) the training and procurement of teachers must precede all other considerations: the development of any education level presupposes the availability of teachers in a sufficient number to man the institutes. Widespread of curriculum reforms in schools to introduce technical education will be useless, unless qualified technical teacher are prepared. Fafunwa (1982). The above was found to be true that supply of qualified technical teacher is grossly inadequate at least for full scale take off of the 6-3-3-4 programme. Steps should be taken to correct this error.

The preparation of the teachers of technical subjects is the key to the present education reform; otherwise, any reform initiated will simply remain on paper (Aina 1991). This has been the case with 6-3-3-4 programme at the implementation stage. Accordingly, Government may consider any of the alternatives to gradually and systematically implement 6-3-3-4 programme. Due to lack of money, it might be very difficult to lunch out full swing, at implementation.

The first alternative therefore is to:

(1) Start on subject basis; the government could have used the huge sum of money spent on the purchase of gigantic machines and technical equipment for schools; for training technical teachers in a sufficient number, since the procurement of all necessary infrastructures such as:

(i) Buildings

(ii) Water

(iii) Roads

(iv) Electricity etc. Might be too much of a fi

nancial burden on the government if they are to

be procured at a go; a less costly materials wh

ich can go round all the secondary schools in

Nigeria could have been purchased, and these thin

gs are the basic technical drawing materials and equipment (ie. complete drawing instruments) namely:

(i) Drawing paper

(ii) Drawing board

(iii) Tee square and set squares. With these, the single subject-technical drawing - can be taught successfully throughout the secondary schools in the country in the presence of adequate supply of qualified technical teachers, so that all the students in Nigeria would have compulsorily learnt the rudiments of technical drawing (the language of technician and engineers) at least during the first three years of their secondary school education since the year 1982 when the programme started. According to a former Commissioner for Education in Kano State, Ibrahim Ayagi (1986):

Education policies in the country should now be geared towards using available

resources for specific need and that any attempt to provide education of all types

for every one was dissipation of resources without any appreciable impact. (NNN

1986 P.I). In the light of the above, the writer suggested the introduction of technical drawing as asubject in all secondary schools throughout the federation since this technical drawing is the only universal language of engineers and technicians and therefore a very important tool for national development in the hands of the users for the technological development of the country.

(2) The second alternative may therefore be based on the geographical locations. Nigeria is a large country with a lot of geographical differences from North to south, from East to West. Emphasis in the curricula should, on the other hand, be expected to vary from zone to zone. For example, while the South - South and South - East zones will be expected to produce an adequate number of graduates employable in the oil

industry, those in the North-Central will be expected to emphasize more the production of graduates to work in the field of agriculture (Banjo 1998 P.21). Particularly, it has been noted that: The writer is therefore taking in to account the number as subjects combined together to form the present introductory technology and the practicality of successfully teaching these subjects, namely:

(i) Automechanics

(ii) Basic electricity

(iii) Metal work

and wood-work

(iv) Food storage and preservation

(v) Technical drawing

(vi) Ceramics

(vii) Polymers (plastic and rubbers)

(viii) Building etc. and the fact that not all the raw materials are available locally in all parts of the country (i.e. in every parry of the country). Therefore, a suggestion is made in favour of specialization of raw material to serve the purpose of training. In such an arrangement, the students in the area where wood can easily be procured should specialize in wood-work, those near sources of ceramic material should specialize in ceramic and glass work etc. This is not to the intent that any part of the country should be marginalized trade wise, but a way of saving the cost of transportation of local raw material and enhancing interdependence of the various states of the country. Moreover, the government can introduce an exchange programme to cater for the training of people in the trade of their choice which incidentally might not be available in their locality, just in the same way the unity schools operates across the country. Note that interdependence also breed unity, which is one of thegoals of the new policy on education.

In addition, most of the introductory technology teachers in any particular part of thecountry should receive a training that would enable them to utilize effectively the local materials available in their areas, to train their students. This would enable the teachers as managers ofskill learning to effectively relate learning tothe local environment with its resources. Forexample, it would be easy for one to teach pasteurization of milk than teaching that of palm wineup north, because palm-wine is not common in the North as it is common in the southern part ofthe country.

Conclusion

It is clear that Nigeria will have a along way to go in making a success out of the new system of education “6-3-3-4” due to lapses in the four aforementioned areas, namely:- men, materials, money and mind/culture, attention must be paid to these areas in the “spirit of slow and steady win the race”.

It is a known fact that education in Nigeria of today is no longer a private enterprise, but a huge government ventures that has witnessed a progressive evolution of governments complete and dynamic intervention and active participation. In spite of all efforts the government has not been able to overcome the problems associated with provision of the right type of education for the citizens due to gross inadequacies in the four areas mentioned above.