By Maria Famakinwa

Nigerians have continued to react to the proposed new educational policy of the federal government. The Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, during  the National Council on Education meeting in Abuja recently presented a proposal that aims to transit to 12 years of compulsory education within the existing 6-3-3 -4 system.

According to the Education Minister, a major feature of the proposal is the removal of the examination barrier between JSS and SSS, allowing students to progress seamlessly without the need for external assessments at that stage. The minister said the proposal is still under consultation, and its implementation depends on further deliberation. According to him, over the next eight months, the ministry will engage in extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and others.

Alausa noted that a final decision would be made at the National Council on Education meeting in October 2025. He added that the goal is to emulate global best practices, seen in countries like the US, the UK, and Ghana, where 12 years of education are compulsory, leading to improved educational outcomes. Alausa further noted that the government is committed to ensuring the new policy does not disrupt the educational sector and will involve extensive stakeholder consultations before making a final decision.

Some stakeholders in the education ministry who spoke with The Hope expressed their views on the said proposed new policy on education. In the submission of the immediate past chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ondo State, Comrade Victor Amoko, who explained that no nation can grow above the level of its education, the way education is being run in the country is a far cry from what it should be.

He said: “The system of education before was 6-3-3-4 which means six years in primary school, three years in Junior Secondary School, three years in Senior Secondary School and four years in tertiary education but this system was changed to 9-3-4 system which means nine years in basic school, three years in secondary school and four years in tertiary institution. While the 9-3-4 system is still being managed, the Federal Government is proposing another 12-4 policy of education.

“Though they call it a proposal, if you are proposing, there is no need to mention it because, to a layman on the street, education policy has been changed. This is the wrong way to handle education-related issues. The Minister of Education said that the same education policy was being run in the US and UK, why the comparison? Are we in the US or UK? Besides, the system of education being practised in the UK is 9-3-4. Is it everything that is operating there that we must copy? If yes, what are they doing to shortage of teachers? What are they doing to provide needed infrastructure in our schools? The retirement age for teachers in the UK is 67 years, is the same thing obtainable here? There is a need to look into the major challenges inhibiting the growth of our education and find solutions to them instead of proposing new policy.”

The former NUT chairman, advised that a stakeholders committee should be set up to see the workability of the proposed new education policy before its approval. They should sample some schools to test the effectiveness of the policy if it will be in the interest of our education system.

Sharing a similar view, an education consultant, Mr Adeoluwa Ademusayo, lamented the inconsistency in our educational system which he blamed the government for as he called on other stakeholders to speak against the proposed new education policy.

His words: “One of the major challenges facing our education system is policy inconsistency. I don’t see anything wrong with the 6-3-3-4 system of education we are using if the Federal Government is truly committed to it.

It is a kind of technical education where students will be equipped technically in the first three years of their secondary school education after which those who wish to continue will proceed to higher education while those who cannot further their education will focus on the skill acquired for survival. What has the country done with the system after over three decades?

“I will not support the proposed new policy because, from all indications, it will not better what we are currently practising. What then happens to students who are already under the 6-3-3-4 system? It is laughable when I read that the Education Minister said that the proposed new education policy is being practiced in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, why is he comparing our system of education to theirs without comparing our economy, security, and general development to theirs? Besides, do we have in place what those countries invested in their education system that makes it attractive? How much is the education budget annually over there compared to ours? These are the questions begging for answers.

“The Federal Government should forget about the proposed new education policy and give us new policy on the economy, infrastructure, security, and the likes that will make life better for people in the UK and the US. Coming up with different educational policies will further affect our education negatively. We need to be serious and stick to the 6-3-3-4 system we are still struggling to sustain, otherwise, the proposed new education system will fail and destroy the current one we are managing,” he warned.

A parent, Mrs Grace Adetoba, like other respondents revealed that she was confused about the whole system just as she said that the Minister of Education was also confused about what to do to improve the standard of education in the country.

She said: “How can a Minister of Education be making a pronouncement about a policy he was not ready to implement? That goes a long way to show that he is confused. If there is anything we need to urgently address is the lack of teachers in our schools. Why is the Minister not looking towards that direction but trying to compound the woes? Even the current policy of education is still having problems because no policy can work when there are no teachers to teach. I think that it is better they call stakeholder meetings and find lasting solutions to our dying education system. Frequent changes in education policy will hinder its development because it will prevent consistency which affects educational growth. It is wrong to wake up a day and come up with a proposed plan policy without first making due consultation. I am appealing to the Minister to call a meeting with stakeholders in the ministry before taking any step because any mistake made will collapse the already fragile education system,” she said.