The Federal Government has promised to have meaningful engagement with stakeholders in respect of the proposed 12-year basic education system.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who said this during the press conference he presided over in Abuja on Friday, noted that ‘the proposal is for discussion and not an immediate policy shift’.
Recall that during the Extraordinary National Council on Education Meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Alausa had presented a proposal that aims to have 12 years of compulsory education in place of the existing 6-3-3 system.
A major feature of the proposal, he noted, is the removal of the examination barrier between JSS and SSS, allowing students to progress seamlessly without a need for external assessments at that stage.
The minister said the proposal is still under consideration, and its implementation depends on further deliberation adding that the ministry will engage in extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including policymakers, state governments, teachers, parents, and others over the next eight months while a final decision will be made at the National Council on Education Meeting in October 2025.
The National Education Council, he added, also approved other significant initiatives, including a national anti-bullying policy, the use of native languages in primary education, and policies for minimum age requirements for admission to tertiary institutions.
Alausa further noted that the government is committed to ensuring that the new policy does not disrupt the educational sector and will involve extensive stakeholder consultations before making a final decision.
‘What we’re saying is that we need to move from what we have now as nine years of compulsory education to 12 years of compulsory education as it’s obtained in other parts of the world.
If you look back into the history of Nigeria, 30 years ago, people that went to the primary education there and got up to standard six, if you compare the level of education, the level of instruction, even the standard three there, it’s much better than what we get in GSS three now.
Today, our quality of instruction and education is falling. If we let these kids continue to graduate, if we let these children tell them that they only have nine years of compulsory education, we’re literally just training illiterates. We’re not preparing them for the future’ he said.
The minister also disclosed plans to improve funding for early childhood education and strengthen the quality of public schools in the country.
‘We already have a universal basic education that gets 2% of the conservative level. I’m going to go to Mr President about increasing the current level of funding to add basic education to 2% of conservative revenue to 5% of conservative revenue. We’ll ask for that’ the minister added-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
