INTRODUCTION
Educational policy
in Nigeria has passed through two significant stages, the colonial and post
independence eras. In line with Millennium Development goals (MDGs), the
Federal Government of Nigeria launched a new educational policy in 2004, which
has among other features, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme (Mkpa,
2008).
The Federal
Government of Nigeria launched a new educational policy in 2004, which has
among other features, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme. The
primary target of the UBE aspect of this new educational policy was ensuring
that every Nigerian child acquires a minimum of 9 years basic education. Given
the unstable and consequently unreliable socioeconomic realities in Nigeria,
one cannot but wonder how far the UBE programme can go in meeting its target
and achieving its set objectives. In every society, including the very advanced
ones of Europe and America, education has remained the major social structure
for capacity building. As such if Nigeria must compete favourably with other
societies in today’s globalized world in the area of skilled manpower capable
of effecting desired societal change, the issue of education must be accorded
utmost priority. Given that basic education provides the foundation for any
educational pursuit, it becomes necessary for the basic education programme to
be given fundamental attention (Adenipekun, 2006).
Education is the
process of acquiring new values and skills for the purpose of effective
functioning in the society. It involves a pedagogical process, which if
properly carried out should lead to the maturing of the person who has received
it, to the extent that he is in a position to think and act meaningfully and in
relevant interaction with members of society to their mutual benefit (Nwadiani,
2007).
OBJECTIVE OF THE POLICY
The major objective of the policy is to wipe out
illiteracy and ensure the acquisition of functional skills for alleviation of
poverty.
The specific objectives are as follow;
1.
Development
in the entire citizenry a strong consciousness for education and a strong
commitment to its vigorous promotion. -
2.
At
the end of 9 years of continuous education, every child should have acquired
appropriate and relevant skills and values and be employable in order to
contribute his/her quota to national development.
3.
Early
child care development and education (ECCDE)
THE PROVISION OF THE POLICY
The provision of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) is that
at the end of 9 years of continuous education, every child should have acquired
appropriate and relevant skills and values and be employable in order to
contribute his/her quota to national development. The UBE act of 2004 covers;
Ø
Early child care development and education
(ECCDE)
Ø
Six years of primary Education
Ø Three
years of junior secondary education. (Tahir, 2006)
Furthermore, the U.B.E. outlined the
targets of the policy as follows:
o
Ensuring that school-age children are in school.
o
100% transition to JSS at the end of six years
of primary education.
o
Completers of Basic Education to possess
literacy, numeracy and basic life skills, as well as ethical moral and civic
values.
o
All teachers in Basic Education institutions to
possess the Nigerian certificate of education.
o
Review of basic education curriculum to conform
to the reform agenda.
o
Achievement of 100% awareness on HIV/AIDS in
schools.
o
Establishment of an effective institutional
framework for monitoring learning and teaching.
o Active
involvement in and participation and eventual ownership of schools by local
communities (Oloko, 2000)
STRENGTH
AND WEAKNESS OF THE POLICY
A close
examination of the UBE programme shows that it is a noble policy by government
especially when one considers its objectives. What more could a developing
society like Nigeria desire in terms of education, than to have all its school
age children be in school? If one considers the fact that education is a
veritable tool for advancing any nation, especially a developing one like
Nigeria, then one can conclude that the UBE programme is worth executing since
its aim is to empower future leaders educationally, for the purpose of
advancing the country (Giddens, 2006).
However, while we
accept that the UBE programme is worth executing, especially going by its
objectives and scope, it is also important to point out that there are some
identified problems that should be tackled. This particular aspect of the
policy never took into consideration the current realities of Nigeria’s
socio-economic and already existing educational conditions.
First, there is
the problem of dearth of qualified teachers to adequately handle educational
needs arising from the expansion of the previously existing educational
structure. Most primary schools lack qualified teachers. Commenting on this
Adenipekun (2006) pointed out that the problem of lack of teachers in primary
schools affects 85% of the States in Nigeria. The argument is, if most primary
schools in the Federation lack qualified hands, how then can they adequately
accommodate pupils of the junior secondary category who under the 9-3-4 system
of the U.B.E. policy would now become integral part of the primary schools? The
problem of lack of and unskilled teachers will affect pupils to the extent that
they will pass out without being equipped with the required educational skills
that match with that level of education. At the end the objective of having
completers of the Universal Basic Education to possess literacy and basic life
skill will be defeated.
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