UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION
1.0 INTRODUCTION
From
the seasons of time during the impressionable days of the nineteenth century,
the process of acquiring knowledge in Nigeria took a novel shape.[1]
This reflects a clear picture of how the innovativeness of the system and mode
of learning, came into a feasible reality. The cradle of the existing system of
education in Nigeria, have its foundation heavily knitted in the threads of the
African Tradition and Christian Missionary enterprise.[2]
Conventionally,
the process of imparting and acquiring knowledge through teaching and learning
is categorically known as education (using the focus of Universal Primary
Education as a case study). This serves as a burning torch that can illumine
the dark fragments and ignorant minds of man.[3]
With this peculiar consideration in mind, one would agree that the basic
essentials of our human value and cognitive system have taken an impressive
lift; on the scale of development in Africa.[4]
By
way of methodology and as a plan to develop the subject matter of this paper,
an examination of the following contents will be underscored in this order:
Brief history of education in Nigeria, structures of the Nigerian educational
system, overview of the Universal Primary Education, relevance of Universal
Primary Education; problems and challenges of Universal Primary Education, and
then the sense of an ending- the conclusion. It is on the note of this
responsibility, that I give an exposition of the topic: “Universal Primary
Education in Nigeria.”
2.0
BRIEF HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
Every
society, whether simple or complex, has its own system for training and
educating its youth; this gives education an edge of influence in shaping one’s
life to conform to a mode of functionalism.[5] The
history of education in Nigeria can be presented in three major phases of
development; which has its origin from the variants of educational systems
prevalent in each era. As such, we highlight the contributing presence of
Traditional African Education, Islamic Education, and the Advent of the
Missionaries.
The
first phase of development which is ingrained in the traditional system of
education, spanned from the period of the inception of mankind. This is broadly
characterized by the tenets of proper functioning of an individual in the
society.[6] It
stands on the pillars of seven cardinal points which every person is expected
to conform to. Every ethnic group possesses that which is unique and particular
to its educational aims and objectives. These seven cardinal points (or goals
as it is called) are centered on the development, training, grooming, and
advancement of an individual. They are as follows: Physical training,
development of character, respect for elders and peers, intellectual training,
vocational training; community participation, and the promotion of cultural
heritage.[7]
All of which are directed to meeting the basic needs of the child within his
restricted society.
Another
phase of development that is deep-seated in the educational system is the
domineering structure of the Islamic system of education. This can be dated as
far back as the cradle of Islam in the Southern Nigeria (particularly in the
Yorubaland) towards the close of the nineteenth century.[8]
The Islamic learning tradition had its presence firmly established at Ilorin by
eminent scholars who hailed from the northern part of the country. As time went
on, Ibadan became a reputable center of Islamic studies and learning. It is
evident that Islam led to the foundation of scholarship through its lasting
influence.
This
period was exemplified by certain features such as the Qur’ranic pattern of
education, establishment of schools and employment of Qur’anic teachers.[9]
There was also a turning point of transformation which took place within the
Muslim circles. A transformation that was reflected by the need to adjust to
the needs of the ”industrial age,” in line with the various scientific and
technological advancements. As a result, this became key indicators of the
substantial contributions and inputs of Islam; in the attainment of knowledge
with the Western culture of civilisation.[10]
Lastly
is the advent of the Christian missionary, whose educational system was heavily
bounded up with the history of Western education.[11]
This was spurred out of the need for evangelization of the faith and spread of
the Gospel message of Christ. Eventually, this led to the creation of an
education system, that which was religiously based in origin; to enable people
to acquire skills of reading and writing. All that was required was an
education that suitably fitted into the need of the Christian missionaries.[12]
The
history of the activities of the early missionaries began in the better half of
the fifteenth century. It became an ideal necessity for an education system to
be set up, so long as the missionaries themselves desired for a badge of
success in their various “missionary endeavours and expansions.” People had to
understand the language through which they were to be taught and schooled on
the Christian faith that was intended for them to be indoctrinated into.[13]
The second missionary endeavour was initiated at Badagry in September 1842-1929;
which was marked by not just the missionary religious activities and expansion
in Nigeria, but included activities in commerce and agriculture.[14]
The
coming of the Methodists missionaries to Badagry placed a significant change
within the Western region. This was carried out by Revd Thomas Birch Freeman
and William de Graft. The Methodists planted the seeds of their mission in
Badagry, and began to reap the potential harvest of hundreds of people. They
established the first school in Nigeria in 1843, giving way to the C.M.S.
missionaries to make enormous contributions to education in the early period.[15]
They (Church Missionary Society) built schools and mission homes, amidst other
missionary activities. The roles and contributions of the Baptists, and Roman
Catholics cannot be left out as well, which was formally instituted in the year
1868.[16]
There was also a missionary opening in August 1846, by C.M.S. in Abeokuta;
having Samuel Ajayi Crowther and Townsend, settle at Igbehin and Ake
respectively. Each one of them was able to build a mission house, a church and
a school. Other places were such missionary expansions and endeavours had a
dominating presence were: Calabar, Onitsha, Oyo, among others.[17]
3.0 STRUCTURES OF THE
NIGERIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
The
word “education” is derived from two Latin words –“Educare” and “Educere.” The former
means to “support and nurture the growth of”, while the latter means to “draw
out or to cause to come out.”[18]
What then can be said about education? Education can be said to be an act of
developing knowledge, skills or character of an individual; through the core
processes of nurturing and direction.[19]
Notably
observed, was in the year 1997, when the federal government changed the
nation’s entire educational system from 6-5-2-3 systems, to a 6-3-3-4 system.
This comprises of 6 years of primary school, 3 years of junior secondary
school, 3 years secondary school, and 4 years of university education.[20]
This formation of educational system (6-3-3-4) is centrally based on the formal
education system. Hence, it would be of great importance to briefly outline the
categories of education, which are:
A. Formal
Education: This refers to the hierarchically structured graded education
system, running from primary school through university, including a variety of
specialized programmes for technical and professional training.[21]
B. Informal
Education: This refers to the lifelong process were every individual acquires
the necessary attitudes, values, skills and knowledge from daily experience and
the educative influences from his/her environment, family and neighbours.[22]
C. Non-formal
Education: This refers to any organized educational activity outside the
established formal education. It is aimed at attending to needs of
disadvantaged group of persons, concern with specific categories of person, a
focus on clearly defined purposes, and flexibility in organization and methods.[23]
4.0 OVERVIEW OF UNIVERSAL
PRIMARY EDUCATION
The
Nigerian educational enterprise has gone through numerous phases of development
in meeting up to the instructive needs of millions of children all over the
country. It was out of these needs that the Universal Primary Education was
established in the year 1976 by the Gowon administration.[24] The
1976 UPE programme was established to attend to the problem of the dwindling
educational system in the country; after the takeover of all private schools
(after the civil war).[25]
On 6 September 1976, the UPE programme was
launched. To ensure that the programme operated smoothly, the federal
government funded the scheme with the sum of Three Hundred Million Naira (#300
million); projecting for the future enrolment plan of over 11.5 million pupils
in the year 1980.[26]
5.0 RELEVANCE OF THE
UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION
It
is no doubt that the Universal Primary Education played a very crucial role in
contributing immensely to the entire landmark of Nigerian education.[27]
The slides of importance brought in by the programme cannot be overstressed; as
such we highlight below the weight of its significance within the country as a
whole.
a.) The
UPE programme has been of immeasurable benefits to the country in terms of
mobilizing its human resources. This has been achieved by adjusting the
nation’s educational imbalance; by providing equal opportunity and access in
education for Nigerian children.[28]
b.) The
nation has been able to meet up with the demands of her peoples’ aspirations
and expectations; in the midst of the true value of what an ideal egalitarian
society should be.[29]
c.) It
led to the massive enrollment of children in the primary education scheme. As
all states of the federation marked a huge turnout of active participation in
the primary school enrollment programme.[30]
d.) It
has led to the empowerment of its participators, by developing in them the
capacity to learn, read, acquire information; and think critically through the
aid of the raw facts presented to them.[31]
e.) It
has played a gateway role to all higher levels of education. By helping to
train the scientists, teachers, doctors, and other highly skilled
professionals; that every nation no matter how small or poor, requires.[32]
f.) It
helped reduce the rate of poverty and income inequality, as hundreds of school
personnel were granted employment; which contributed immensely to the country’s
economic growth.[33]
6.0 CHALLENGES AND
PROBLEMS OF UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION
Unquestionably,
it has become a common place observation that many children of school-age, languish
without formal and informal education in Nigeria. This pitiable situation is
devised by different stretches of factors; that have affected the provisional
initiative of the Universal Primary Education scheme in Nigeria.[34]
The UPE programme was primarily directed to attend to the deteriorating
situation of the country’s educational system. But in the light of these
corrective attempts, the UPE programme encountered scores of problems; failing
to bring the anticipated outcomes.[35]
These
problems posed as a lurking challenge in the educational enterprise. Such
problems were:
a.
Financial Problems- The programme wasn’t adequately funded with the required
amount of money it needed to fund the project.[36]
b.
Insufficient Competent Teachers- There was a decline in the quality of
education, as most of the teachers lacked the necessary experience and
qualifications.[37]
c.
Overcrowded Classrooms- This was seen as a barrier to the conducive learning
environment that every primary center of learning is expected to have. Given
the massive enrollment of pupils in the UPE scheme, there wasn’t enough
class-room space to accommodate the large influx of persons enrolled in the
programme.[38]
d.
Narrow Curriculum Content- The UPE programme was lacking in some of the
assigned basic standard curriculum, which was recommended for various levels of
education. Some subjects and courses were not attended to properly and some
were not even taught in the schools.
e.
High Rate of Drop-outs- The rate of dropout was an all-time high, many persons
who began school weren’t able to complete their education, resulting from
inability to pay costs, distance or inaccessibility, religious factors, teenage
pregnancy; early marriage or sickness.[39]
7.0 CONCLUSION
Beyond
every shades of distrust, education is been identified as a household trademark
in the world order of ancient and modern day enlightenment. It serves as the
natural, harmonious development, and progressive development of man’s innate
powers.[40] Thus, this is clearly reflected in the
educational system of Nigeria, taking turns of manifestations in structures of
the Universal Primary Education Scheme.
In this paper, a critical examination has
been allotted to main thrust of this piece of writing: “Universal Primary
Education,” and the proposed areas set aside for exposition has been
responsibly carried out in the various sub-topics such as: The Introduction, brief
history of education in Nigeria, structures of the Nigerian educational system,
overview of the Universal Primary Education; relevance of Universal Primary
Education, challenges and problems of Universal Primary Education, and lastly
the Conclusion.
[1] Cf. J. E. Adetoro, The
Handbook of Education In Nigeria (Ibadan: African Education Press, 1966),
p. 11.
[2] Cf. Adetoro, The Handbook of
Education In Nigeria. p. 11.
[3] Cf. A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese Tchombe, Handbook of African Educational Theories and Practices: A Generative
Teacher Education Curriculum (Bamenda: Jacobs Publication, 2011), p. 7.
[4] Cf. Nsamenang and Tchombe, Handbook
of African Educational Theories and Practices. p. 7.
[5] Cf. A. Babs Fafunwa, History
of Education in Nigeria (Plymouth: Clarke, Doble & Brendon Ltd, 1975),
p. 15.
[6] Cf.Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 15-16.
[7] Cf.Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 17-20.
[8] Cf. Samuel Johnson, History
of the Yoruba (New York: Routledge, 1966), p. 20.
[9] Cf. A. Babs Fafunwa, History
of Education in Nigeria (Plymouth: Clarke, Doble & Brendon Ltd, 1975),
p. 60-66.
[10] Cf. Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 69.
[11] Cf. Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 73.
[12] Cf. A. Babs Fafunwa, History
of Education in Nigeria (Plymouth: Clarke, Doble & Brendon Ltd, 1975),
p. 73.
[13] Cf. Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 74.
[14] Cf. David Oyebamiji Akanji, A
Study of Blind Education in Three States of Nigeria (Victoria: Trafford Publishing,
2009), p. 27.
[15] Cf. Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 79.
[16] Cf. Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 80-81.
[17] Cf. Fafunwa, History of
Education in Nigeria. p. 80-81.
[18] Cf. A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese Tchombe, Handbook of African Educational Theories and Practices: A Generative
Teacher Education Curriculum (Bamenda: Jacobs Publication, 2011), p. 24.
[19] Cf. Nsamenang and Tchombe, Handbook
of African Educational Theories and Practices. p. 24.
[20] Cf. Wole Adesina, Higher
Education In Nigeria: A Descriptive Factual Analysis (Chicago: Lulu Press
Inc., 2009), p. 14.
[21] Cf. Nsamenang and Tchombe, Handbook
of African Educational Theories and Practices. p. 24.
[22] Cf. Nsamenang and Tchombe, Handbook
of African Educational Theories and Practices. p. 24.
[23] Cf. A. Bame Nsamenang and Therese Tchombe, Handbook of African Educational Theories and Practices: A Generative
Teacher Education Curriculum (Bamenda: Jacobs Publication, 2011), p. 24.
[24] Cf. J.C.S. Musaazi, Planning
and Development In Education: African Perspective (New York: Routledge,
2014), p. 70.
[25] Cf. Alphonsus Emeka Ezeoke, Dying
Education: Necessary Reformation. The Nigerian Case (Bloomington:
iUniverse, Inc., 2011), p. 16.
[26] Cf. Musaazi, Planning and
Development In Education. p. 71.
[27] Cf. Musaazi, Planning and
Development In Education. p. 71
[28] Cf. J.C.S. Musaazi, Planning
and Development In Education: African Perspective (New York: Routledge,
2014), p. 70.
[29] Cf. Musaazi, Planning and
Development In Education. p. 72.
[30] Cf. Musaazi, Planning and
Development In Education. p. 72.
[31] Cf. Barbara Bruns, Alan Mingat, and Ramahatra Rakotomalala, Achieving Universal Primary Education by
2015: A Chance for Every Child (Washington DC: The World Bank Press, 2003),
p. 27.
[32] Cf. Bruns, Mingat, and Rakotomalala, Achieving Universal Primary
Education by 2015. p. 27.
[33] Cf. Bruns, Mingat, and Rakotomalala, Achieving Universal Primary
Education by 2015. p. 28.
[34] Cf. Alphonsus Emeka Ezeoke, Dying
Education: Necessary Reformation. The Nigerian Case (Bloomington:
iUniverse, Inc., 2011), p. 15.
[35] Cf. Ezeoke, Dying Education:
Necessary Reformation. The Nigerian Case.p. 16.
[36] Cf. Ezeoke, Dying Education:
Necessary Reformation. The Nigerian Case.p. 16.
[37] Cf. Alphonsus Emeka Ezeoke, Dying
Education: Necessary Reformation. The Nigerian Case (Bloomington:
iUniverse, Inc., 2011), p. 16.
[38] Cf. Ezeoke, Dying Education:
Necessary Reformation. The Nigerian Case. p. 16.
[39] Cf. D.B. Rao, Women as
Educators (New Dehi: Discovery Publishing House, 2003), p. 22.
[40] Cf. D.V. Lakshmi, Basic
Education (New Delhi: Discovery Publishing House, 2004), p. 47.
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