Sequel to the announcement by the Ministry of Education that only persons aged 18 and above would be allowed to sit for West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) examinations, there had been outcries against the policy as many Nigerians have continued to kick against the policy, calling it obnoxious.
Disagreeing with the policy, the stakeholders, including parents and teachers, noted that there are more important issues to deal with and that that the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, is attempting to drag Nigeria back to the Stone Age.
This is coming as the education minister is insisting that the policy will take effect from October, saying that the policy had helped those who attended schools in the 1960s to the 1980s, to learn some skills.
Defending the policy, the minister argued that despite pushing children to skip classes to graduate from secondary school at an early age, only 30 per cent of such students ever make it to tertiary institutions.
He said: “Those of you who attended school in the 60s, 70s, probably even after early 80s, would have noticed or experienced that at that level of government, at that time, primary school, secondary schools, had exposed you to varieties of skills in addition to the general knowledge.
“Now we lost that 6-3-3-4 that is supposed to focus on that. That level of 6, 3-3 is meant for providing skill for our children at that level. So, even if they don’t transit to Senior Secondary School for the 4 components, they would have acquired one or two skills and trades that can see them in life. That is the whole essence of it.
“We lost that; now we are coming back to it, we are introducing that. Our plan is set, we’ve developed a national script framework, and we’ve developed a variety of skill sets, and we are going to roll it out from this September, October school year.
“We put children in school; we make them jump through school too quickly. At five years old, a child is sent to secondary school at 10 years old, or 11 or 12, they are out of secondary school for university.
“They haven’t had much and in any case, you will find that only about 25 to 30% of them proceed to tertiary education and what about the 70% or so?
“The whole concept of what the ministry is trying to do now is to expose our children at that lower level of education to varieties of skills that can keep them going in life, and allow the few who want to proceed with partial education to proceed.
“So, this is the core policy which the ministry is pursuing, has developed over the last one year, and is being implemented from October this year.”
Stakeholders kick
First to fire the salvo against the policy, is a former director with the ministry of education, who declined to be mentioned. He faulted the minister for chasing after irrelevant issues rather than face more pressing and demanding issues such as strike threats, increasing number of out of school children, dearth of quality teachers, infrastructure, as well as education poverty.
While arguing that the 6-3-3-4 education system was overdue for a review, he however pointed out that it should be reviewed in line with modern times.
He said: “I don’t understand, is Mamman trying to outdo Prof. Oloyede or what? There are more important issues to deal with.
“Our education system is sitting on a keg of gunpowder and all a minister is consumed with is age limit for JAMB, WAEC, and NECO? It is saddening that a minister who should think and make smart decisions is dragging us to the Stone Age with ideologies that have no place in this generation.
“I think Nigeria needs to evolve with the rest of the world. We see videos of young children manipulating a counting machine called an abacus, and a minister still wants to push these children backward with this their talent, no way.
“If the minister wants to make a change he should make positive changes that would leave the education sector better for it. I totally disagree with the 18 age benchmark. It is a disservice to the intellectual proficiency of the current generation and generations yet unborn.”
Similarly, the Proprietress, Destiny Schools Abuja, Adeyanju Deborah, said that the minister should be thinking of adjusting the 6-3-3-4 policy forward rather than backward.
While noting that for decades most private schools no longer subscribe to the 6-3-3-4 education system, she said that most schools no longer have primary six, as students have graduated from primary five.
“There is a need for that policy to be adjusted. I’m very much aware of it. We are in a 21st century where we are talking about AI, and robotics.
“Trying to enforce an outdated policy which was initiated when a child will have to place his or hand over his or her head to touch the ear before being admitted into primary school is the worst thing that could happen to us as a country struggling to catch up with other nations.
“Most of the children of primary school age now manipulate computers and telephones which some of us never had the privilege of seeing or doing as children. This policy will only damage our education system. Is he considering years sacrificed on the altar of strikes?”
“We find ourselves in an age where a child starts crèche less than a year old, by two the child is already proceeding to pre-nursery because there is no trusted hand to take care of the child when the parents are at work. From there it goes.
“This makes children finish school early but so far, there hasn’t been a side effect. The real issues are teacher quality, dedication to work, especially at the tertiary education level which is affecting the kind of graduates we produce.
“Rather than spend time teaching students, lecturers are caught up in unionism, publishing of books, awarding of marks and other corrupt practices. Let’s even agree he is trying to enforce the law, should he start from certificate classes or from the point of enrolment?
“That could be a problem because as I earlier stated, times have evolved, children find themselves in the school environment before they clock one due to the economic situation we find ourselves in as a country.”
Also reacting, a secondary school teacher, Mrs Tolupe Olusi, told one of our reporters that the problem lies with our educational personnel who have refused to update their knowledge.
According to her, “It is laughable that at 21st century a minister of education is thinking this way.
“It’s more laughable because we are in a world where children do unimaginable things at younger ages, graduating even before 16 in many advanced countries.
“Why are we always backward both in our thinking and policy formulation? These people are the real problem of this country. Today, we no longer have an HSC programme, and even if we have, not many children would go through that.
“The 6-3-3-4 system he talked about, are we really implementing that? Is it the way we are running it today, the idea behind it? If I were Mr President, this kind of thinking is enough for me to change the minister.
“It shows that he has no knowledge of what happens in today’s world as far as education is concerned. This kind of thinking shows clearly that man is outdated; it’s time to find a vibrant young mind that can run our educational system.”
Parents say no
A parent at Omojuwa Estate, Kosofe-Mile 12, Lagos, Mrs Ester Dike, has also expressed disappointment at the development, saying it will draw back education and render many pupils redundant.
According to her, the government’s declaration will not only affect the education sector negatively, but breed more criminals and criminality that the system would not be able to contain.
She said: “I am disappointed because the minister is himself a lecturer who should have known better. I can tell you that the policy is dead on arrival as it can’t stand the test of time.
‘’How can a minister of education just wake up and make such a decision? Did they consult widely on it before making such an announcement?
“If the government allows the policy to stand, what will become of the many gifted children? Yes, nowadays, people start school at six years, but we still have those who left secondary school before 18.
“Now that our children start early, say by three years they are in crèche, singing nursery rhymes, after that, they move on.
“So, they complete secondary school education before 18, some a little over 16. What will such students be doing at home? They should know that the devil finds work for idle hands.”
Another parent, Mr Olumide Kayode, described the policy as a hash one, adding that the policy is capable of disorganising both parents and students.
“Why are people in government never serious; they keep neglecting real issues and continue to pursue shadows?
“In other climes, at 18, a young adult should be fully set to launch a career path, given all necessary skills and abilities. Our curriculums are outdated and virtually useless and that seems not to concern him.
“I expect the minister and the government to be working to improve that and other issues that matter. The age issue for me is the least of the problems we have in our educational sector. Let’s be serious for once.”
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